markets already this offseason, the Mets are going to be in the same $300 million range if they do little else.
The Mets define the poker term “pot committed” — to justify how much they already have spent to win, they can’t fold, but that means having to stay in and invest more and more without certainty of a winning hand. In fact, unless they find ways to remove significant chunks of dollars by finding deals for Mark Canha, Eduardo Escobar and/or James McCann — and dealing off any of them could actually create more need — then finding at least one more starter, at least two more relievers and a center fielder will under the most conservative approach take them to $310 million and probably a lot more.
Including Verlander , the Mets have 13 guaranteed contracts for next season worth $231.58 million toward the luxury-tax payroll. But that represents just 12 players since they still have a Robinson Cano $20.25 million hit for 2023. MLB Trade Rumors projected another $27.55 million for six arbitration cases, notably Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil. That is $259.13 million. Add the roughly $16.5 million each team is charged for benefits such as pension and insurance and that is $275.63 million.