The Mets did not fail for want of trying.
They made an effort to entice Yoshinobu Yamamoto to Queens with their deeds and money.
To give the pitcher and his family a personal touch and to get a jump start on the sweepstakes, team owner Steve Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns took a plane to Japan prior to the winter meetings.
Last weekend, a second meeting took place at Cohen’s Connecticut residence, this time with a larger contingent of Mets players, including pitching coach Jeremy Hefner and manager Carlos Mendoza.
When it came time to cash the check, Cohen put the financial finishing touch with a 12-year, $325 million deal, as reported by Mike Puma of The Post. That would have surpassed Gerrit Cole’s record for the highest pitcher contract ever given by $1 million.
Indeed, Yamamoto stole the specifics of the contract, but not from Cohen.
As the Mets’ chase comes to an end with plenty of mileage but no contract signed, the Japanese superstar said on Thursday that he will instead join up with another Japanese great, Shohei Ohtani, with the dominant Dodgers.
The good news for Cohen’s Mets is that they can now go on and continue with their offseason with a clear understanding of who is and is not available.
But since Yamamoto was the only projected great starting pitcher who met their ideal schedule, it is more of a flicker than a real plus.
The Mets have placed more emphasis on the long term than the short term ever since selling off at the trade deadline of the previous season.
Their objective is to be a competitive force for many years to come, not only for 2024, hence they have refrained from taking any chances with their future adaptability.
A big deal for a starting pitcher in his or her 30s can end up becoming a financial burden after a few seasons.
Even at the age of 25, Yamamoto was unique.
After winning three straight Sawamura awards, Japan’s equivalent of the Cy Young, and entering the majors with far less mileage on his arm than the average free-agent MLB pitcher, the Mets felt he might assist them both now and in the future.
Blake Snell, who is also a free agent, and Jordan Montgomery, who turns 31 next week, are the two best choices still available on the market.
Joel Sherman of The Post has revealed that the Mets’ strategy hasn’t been to just go to the next best ace.
Since Yamamoto is the only available pitcher, the Mets will probably want to sign other starting pitchers to one-year, $13 million contracts similar to that of Luis Severino.
In such one- or two-year agreements, there is some (albeit limited) benefit, and the downside is lessened because the contracts end soon.
Another indication that the 2024 Mets will be significantly less attractive than the 2023 team is Yamamoto signing elsewhere.
This summer, they have not signed a single player to a multiyear contract.
In a rotation that will also feature Severino, Jose Quintana, and probably Adrian Houser, Kodai Senga looks to be the ace of the Mets for the upcoming season, barring the unforeseen or a price decrease at the top of the market.
Tylor Megill, Jose Butto, and Joey Lucchesi would probably be demoted to depth players if one more starter was added.
Including two may make Houser a swingman.
Months of effort, resources, and money were expended on Plan A, only to be disappointed.
For a long time, Cohen wanted to convert the Mets into the East Coast Dodgers, but at this point, the West Coast equivalent might as well be in a separate league.