Which free-agent first baseman target makes most sense for Mets?
· Yahoo Sports
It is another Mets offseason with questions at the first base position.
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It took until a week before spring training in 2025 for Pete Alonso return. Last season, the Mets could not make up for Alonso's departure as Jorge Polanco faltered through a season-long injury and Mark Vientos failed to reach his ceiling.
The one pleasant surprise was the rise of Jared Young, who managed a .759 OPS in his first meaningful major league action, but Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said the front office expects to "supplement that position" heading into 2027.
Young is a left-handed bat who tagged righties for a .793 OPS, but only managed a .606 mark against southpaws.
Clear needs at the top of the starting rotation and a largely inexperienced bullpen could alter the Mets' calculus for how they fortify first base in 2027. If they go big-game hunting for the likes of Tarik Skubal or another top pitcher, would they take a lesser swing on the right side of the infield?
As the Mets aim to reinforce their position player grouping, here are a few of the available players at the position, what they bring to the table and whether they could be a fit this offseason:
Jake Bauers
From nearly walking away from baseball to one of the heroes of the Brewers' run to their first World Series crown, Bauers might have helped his free agency case more than any other player with his transformative 2026 season.
During the regular season, the 31-year-old slashed .266/.389/.484 with 26 home runs, 86 RBI and 93 runs. Each of those six figures represented a career high. He had never finished with above a .752 OPS in any of his previous six seasons. He kept it rolling in the postseason en route to NLCS MVP honors.
Bauers earned a qualifying offer from the Brewers (valued at $23.15 million) and could be looking at his first major payday. That draft pick compensation, paired with Bauers' presence as another left-handed hitter, could steer him clear of Flushing.
Alec Bohm
There seems to be widespread interest for Bohm across the league as the 30-year-old gets his first crack at free agency. The former Phillies first-round pick slashed .249/.315/.383 with 15 home runs, 88 RBI and 29 doubles in 2026. It was his first season with an OPS below .700 since 2021, yet he slashed .347/.418/.542 with runners in scoring position.
After the Phillies acquired Luis Arraez at the trade deadline, Bohm, who began his career stationed at third base, saw his first meaningful action at first base. He produced a .861 OPS while manning that position.
On top of that, Bohm was markedly better against left-handers, producing a .816 OPS compared to a .643 against righties. Those figures make Bohm an enticing option, but his status as a Scott Boras client and history as a member of the Phillies could be working against the Mets.
Ty France
France's career season with the Padres comes with another handful of strong campaigns to back up that success.
Before the 2026 season, France had three seasons with an OPS above .770. He also had earned an All-Star selection in 2022 with the Mariners and a Gold Glove in stops with the Twins and Blue Jays in 2025.
That past success, along with last season's .295 batting average, .865 OPS, 21 home runs, 72 RBI and 59 runs, could command France the richest contract of any first baseman free agent this offseason. As a right-handed hitter who also brings second-base experience, France fills a few Mets needs, but the question will be whether the Mets decide to deploy big financial resources at the position. If they do, France could make sense.
Paul Goldschmidt
If the Mets end up going the platoon route alongside Young, there are a pair of veteran right-handed-hitting first basemen who could fill the void for a reasonable cost.
One option lingers across town, with the 39-year-old Goldschmidt intending to continue his career in 2027 after Year Two with the Yankees. He earned $4 million last season and played 105 games, posting a 765 OPS with 18 home runs and 52 RBI. Goldschmidt continued to torment left-handed pitching, supplying a .967 OPS in 157 at-bats against southpaws.
The four-time Gold Glove winner continues to bring a sterling glove at the position and could be an affordable puzzle piece if he can be persuaded to switch boroughs.
Rhys Hoskins
The idea of Hoskins wearing orange and blue might send a shiver down the spine of Mets fans following a lengthy history of needling the fan base with strong play and outward displays of hostility. That alone might be enough to push them away from the 33-year-old.
Since an ACL injury in 2023, Hoskins has not brought the same explosive bat he carried in his first six seasons with the Phillies. Over the past three seasons, he has a combined .719 OPS with 340 strikeouts in 316 games. Lately, he has been posting near-even splits against both lefties and righties, while traditionally, he has hit righties a bit better.
Hoskins could be a bargain bat, potentially, but he also does not bring the sure hands as some of the other candidates.
TRADE CANDIDATE
Christian Walker
When the first round of uncertainty surrounding Alonso's future loomed in the offseason heading into the 2025 season, Walker seemed a potential fallback option. Ultimately, Walker headed to the Diamondbacks on a three-year, $60 million deal, while Alonso returned to the Mets on a two-year, $54 million contract.
If the Astros had any interest in getting out from under Walker's final $20 million and recouping some prospect capital, the Mets could be a natural fit given their thick wallet and increasingly deep system.
Walker won the fourth Gold Glove of his career this past season while hitting 29 home runs with 87 RBI and 73 runs in his age-35 campaign. A .226/.299/.427 slash line leaves some to be desired, but he fares better against lefties, which the Mets could use.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Which free-agent first baseman target makes most sense for Mets?