MLB rumors: Mets to meet with Tarik Skubal, Rangers
Mets schedule Skubal meeting
The Mets and Skubal are set to sit down this week, Heyman of the New York Post reported. Skubal is hoping to agree to a deal before the league’s Dec. 2 lockout and transaction freeze, which comes amid labor negotiations with the players union.
Heyman’s colleague Joel Sherman reported that rival agents and executives consider the Mets among the offseason’s more aggressive teams in free agency and trade discussions. Skubal has also been linked to the Dodgers and Padres. The Cubs reportedly do not plan to pursue him seriously.
Rotation needs after difficult season
The Mets struggled through a poor first half in 2026 and gave up on the season before the trade deadline. President of baseball operations David Stearns traded nine players ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline: David Peterson, Clay Holmes, A.J. Minter, Freddy Peralta, Tyrone Taylor, Huascar Brazoban, Luke Weaver, Brooks Raley and Ben Rortvedt.
Sean Manaea is expected back for the final season of his three-year, $75 million contract unless he is traded. He posted a 4.78 ERA across 150 2/3 innings. Jonah Tong recorded a 4.54 ERA and 12.6% walk rate in 23 Triple-A starts, while Tylor Megill is returning after UCL surgery kept him out in 2026.
Payroll and signing costs
The Mets had baseball’s highest cash payroll in 2026 and ranked behind only the Dodgers in luxury-tax obligations, according to MLBTR’s Payroll Tracker. Contributor Ethan Hullihen projects the club’s commitments at more than $276 million, including estimated arbitration salaries, with a competitive-balance-tax figure above $289 million.
Those costs may not deter owner Cohen, who signed Soto to a record $765 million deal after the 2024 season. Skubal’s midseason trade also means he is ineligible for a qualifying offer, so the team that signs him would not have to surrender draft or international amateur capital.
Key points
- The Mets are scheduled to meet with Tarik Skubal this week, Jon Heyman reported.
- Skubal hopes to reach a deal before the Dec. 2 transaction freeze.
- The Mets entered the offseason needing rotation help after a disappointing 2026.
- Signing Skubal would not require draft or international amateur capital.