Steve Cohen and the New York Mets will have a series of key decisions to make this upcoming offeason.
RHP Marcus Stroman can become a free agent after the 2021 season, and because he accepted the qualifying offer last offseason, the Mets won't receive any draft compensation if the 30-year-old righty departs in free agency.
Additionally, former All-Star outfielder Michael Conforto can become a free agent as well. Given that Conforto has had a very disappointing contract year, he may be inclined to accept a qualifying offer, which would put the Mets on the hook for close to $20 million in 2022.
Further complicating matters for the Mets -- and all teams -- is that Major League Baseball's current collective bargaining agreement will expire on Dec. 1. We don't know when a new CBA will be in place, and what that will mean in terms of the value of a qualifying offer and the draft compensation recouped from the previous employer if a star player departs in free agency.
Stroman and Conforto aren't the only Mets stars that can become free agents this offseason. They -- along with the likes of Starling Marte, Clayton Kershaw, Kyle Schwarber, Zack Greinke and Brandon Belt -- all just missed out on being among the top potential free agents this upcoming offseason. Here are the 10 best potential MLB free agents for the 2021-22 offseason:
10. RHP Noah Syndergaard
Noah Syndergaard can become a free agent this offseason.(Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)Age in 2022 Season: 29
Eligible for Qualifying Offer? Yes
Syndergaard is extremely difficult to evaluate because at the time of publication, he hasn't pitched in a regular season game since the 2019 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March of 2020. However, he's still only 28 and has a 3.31 ERA and 2.92 ERA in 119 career games (118 of which have been starts). Syndergaard's former Mets teammate Zack Wheeler missed the entirety of the 2015 and 2016 seasons because of Tommy John surgery but returned to realize his potential as a front-line workhorse. From here, the Mets would be wise to extend a qualifying offer to Syndergaard. If not, he'd be a very interesting free agent target for a team that's not risk averse.
9. RHP Justin Verlander
Justin Verlander can become a free agent this offseason.(Bob Levey/Getty Images)Age in 2022 Season: 39
Eligible for Qualifying Offer? Yes
Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors penned a good piece on whether the Astros should extend a qualifying offer to Justin Verlander, who will miss the entire 2021 season after having Tommy John surgery in October of 2020. Verlander is certainly at an advanced stage of his career, but when you consider that he ranked fourth among all pitchers in fWAR between 2018 and 2019, it's hard to imagine letting him walk for nothing. Given his age, Verlander would probably be inclined to accept the qualifying offer if he gets the chance.
8. OF Nick Castellanos
Nick Castellanos can become a free agent this offseason.(Christian Petersen/Getty Images)Age in 2022 Season: 30
Eligible for Qualifying Offer? Yes
A year after becoming part of a viral meme, there have been a lot of deep drives into left field off the bat of Castellanos. In his age-29 season, Castellanos is slashing .320/.377/.571 with 23 home runs, 71 RBIs and a .948 OPS. Audacy Sports MLB Insider Jon Heyman says that Castellanos is likely to opt out of the remaining two years of his contract this offseason. One would think that if he does the Reds will extend a qualifying offer to him. We'll see if he believes he can do better on the free agent market than a massive payday for one year from the Reds.
7. 3B/OF Kris Bryant
Kris Bryant can become a free agent this offseason.(Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)Age in 2022 Season: 30
Eligible for Qualifying Offer? No
Bryant has rebounded from a very underwhelming 2020 season to slash .268/.352/.509 in a 2021 season that has been split between the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants. Presumably, Farhan Zaidi and the Giants would like to extend Bryant. But if he reaches the free agent market, he'll be an enticing addition for a slew of contenders. Not only can Bryant play multiple positions, but any suitor wouldn't have to surrender draft compensation to sign him because his midseason trade means that he's not eligible to receive a qualifying offer.
6. 2B/SS Marcus Semien
Marcus Semien can become a free agent this offseason.(Michael Owens/Getty Images)Age in 2022 Season: 31
Eligible for Qualifying Offer? Yes
Semien disappointed in 2020, his final season with the Oakland Athletics. However, that may be wedged in between two seasons where he was an American League MVP finalist. Semien finished third in AL MVP voting in 2019, and has 30 home runs and a 5.2 fWAR in 2021 for the Toronto Blue Jays. The A's -- in a pretty shortsighted move -- didn't extend a qualifying offer to Semien last offseason and he ultimately signed a one-year/$18 million deal in Toronto. Certainly, Semien, who has played primarily at second base in 2021, will receive a qualifying offer from the Blue Jays this winter if a long-term deal can't be worked out in the interim.
5. 1B Freddie Freeman
Freddie Freeman can become a free agent this offseason.(Michael Reaves/Getty Images)Age in 2022 Season: 32
Eligible for Qualifying Offer? Yes
The reigning National League MVP, Freeman is putting together another excellent season for the Atlanta Braves, who are on track to win their fourth consecutive NL East title. Freeman has spent all 12 years of his career with the Braves, and it's difficult to imagine him in another uniform. With that said, he'll certainly decline a qualifying offer, so the Braves will need to work out a long-term deal if they hope to keep Freeman in their uniform for the entirety of his career.
4. SS Trevor Story
Trevor Story can become a free agent this offseason.(Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)Age in 2022 Season: 29
Eligible for Qualifying Offer? Yes
Even when you factor in what's been an underwhelming contract year, Story has been one of the best offensive performers in baseball over the last five years. In addition to surrendering draft compensation after he declines the qualifying offer, any team that signs Story will have to accept the reality that he may need to move to another position in the back half of his deal. But the 28-year-old's bat, at least in a normal year, will play at any spot on the diamond.
3. RHP Max Scherzer
Max Scherzer can become a free agent this offseason.(Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)Age in 2022 Season: 37
Eligible for Qualifying Offer? No
Scherzer appears to have moved beyond his peak, but the eight-time All-Star has continued to pitch at a very high level in 2021. In 23 starts between the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers, Scherzer is 11-4 with a 2.65 ERA, 3.37 FIP and 3.3 fWAR. The Dodgers can't extend a qualifying offer to him because he was traded during the season, which sets up him for a nice two or three-year deal this winter. Audacy MLB Insider Jon Heyman has suggested that the Los Angeles Angels -- desperate not to waste any more years with Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani -- could challenge the Dodgers for Scherzer's services in free agency.
2. SS Corey Seager
Corey Seager can become a free agent this offseason.(Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)Age in 2022 Season: 28
Eligible for Qualifying Offer? Yes
While not a Gold Glove-caliber fielder, a healthy version of Seager can be an offensive force. In the 2020 postseason, Seager homered eight times and drove in 20 runs, en route to winning both the NLCS and World Series MVPs. He's been limited to just 60 games in his walk year, unfortunately. But unless he accepts the qualifying offer from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Seager could very well depart in free agency this winter given that the defending World Series Champions also now employ Trea Turner.
1. SS Carlos Correa
Carlos Correa can become a free agent this offseason.(Ed Zurga/Getty Images)Age in 2022 Season: 27
Eligible for Qualifying Offer? Yes
Like Seager, Correa has had some issues staying on the field in his career. However, Correa has been largely healthy in 2021, and will be the youngest of the star shortstops to hit free agency this offseason. It sounds as though Correa expects to depart Houston, as he recently referred to 2021 as his "last year with the Astros." Correa acknowledged before this season that he had turned down a six-year/$120 million extension offer from the Astros, and he'll seemingly be rewarded for betting on himself.
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