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By Drew VonScio
Contributing Sports Writer
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The offseason of confusion continues for New York Mets fans as they try to understand how exactly David Stearns wants his team to look for next season.
This dilemma continued Thursday morning when the Houston Astros reportedly agreed to a three-year deal with Japanese star Tatsuya Imai. Imai was considered to be one of the best remaining options in free agency for the Mets, and Mark Feinsand reported there was a particular reason why Stearns didn't pursue him.
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"The Mets still need starting pitching, but sources said the club wasn’t sold on Imai as an impact starter," Feinsand wrote for MLB.com. "President of baseball operations David Stearns has shied away from signing pitchers for more than three years, which would have made Imai an ideal target had he felt strongly about his ability to make a successful move to the majors. The top starters out there -- namely (Framber) Valdez and (Ranger) Suarez -- are likely to command longer-term deals, so it remains to be seen whether Stearns will go all-in for one of them or look elsewhere, possibly the trade market."
Feinsand likely didn't even need to mention Valdez and Suarez because the two of them aren't going to settle for a three-year deal unless it has an extremely high average annual value with opt outs scheduled every season. That leaves Mets fans wondering who exactly Stearns wants in free agency or in the trade market that qualifies as an "impactful starter."
The options are certainly thin across the board, and Stearns is running out of time to make something happen. With the calendar flipping over to 2026, the free agency dominos are going to start falling at a higher rate as teams start to shape their rosters ahead of spring training.
One thing for certain is the Mets can't go into February with their rotation in its current state. Otherwise, you can write off the Mets as a playoff contender before the season even begins.
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