The Mets made a splash hire to their front office in late September, bringing in former Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey. Falvey already has ties to David Stearns from when they worked together in Cleveland, and the two will now work together again to bring the Mets back to prominence.
Falvey experienced a lot of success during his time in Minnesota, and there are many players he had on those teams who are set to become free agents this offseason. These are five free agents the Mets should target.
Sonny Gray, SP
Gray put together one of the best seasons of his career in 2025, going 18-5 with a 2.72 ERA for the Boston Red Sox. Gray has a $30 million mutual option, so there's a chance he stays in Boston. But there's also a chance he feels he's worth more after his career year.
Falvey signed Gray to the Twins before the 2022 season after a mediocre season in which he went 7-9 with a 4.19 ERA with the Reds. However, Gray put together two fantastic seasons in Minnesota, going 8-5 with a 3.08 ERA in 2022 and 8-8 with a 2.79 ERA in 2023.
For his efforts in 2023, Gray was named an All-Star for the third time in his career and was the Cy Young Award runner-up behind Gerrit Cole.
There are concerns about whether Gray can pitch in New York, evidenced by his infamous stint with the Yankees in 2017 and 2018. But Gray will be 37 soon and is in a much different stage of his career. If he can pitch effectively while also serving as a mentor to the Mets' young starting pitchers, Gray could be exactly what the Mets need.
Shane Bieber, SP
Bieber's career only slightly overlapped with Derek Falvey's time in Cleveland. Bieber was Cleveland's fourth-round selection in the 2016 draft, a few months before Falvey left for Minnesota. Still, Falvey scouted Bieber and saw him plenty, thanks to intradivisional matchups between the Twins and Guardians over the years.
The 31-year-old Bieber carries a lot of risk. He has dealt with numerous injuries throughout his career, making 20 starts over the last three years combined. When healthy, though, Bieber has proven to be one of the more effective pitchers. In his last full season in 2022, Bieber went 13-8 with a 2.88 ERA.
The former Cy Young Award winner should be targeted, even with the risk he carries. If Stearns and Falvey still believe in his ability, he's a great choice to supplement the back end of the Mets' rotation in 2027.
Luis Arráez, 1B/2B
Arráez is baseball's best contact hitter. He doesn't offer much outside of that, with suspect defense and little speed or power, but his defense improved in 2026 during a fantastic first half with the Giants. His play fell off after getting traded to the Phillies, but Arráez still ended the year with a .310 average and a .765 OPS.
Falvey saw Luis Arráez break out with the Twins in 2019, spending four years in Minnesota before a trade to Miami that brought Pablo López to the Twins. Arráez's lowest batting average with the Twins was .294 in 2021, and he was named an All-Star and Silver Slugger in 2022.
Since then, Arráez has been named to three more All-Star teams and received one more Silver Slugger Award. The Mets desperately need help at first and second base, two positions Arráez has plenty of experience at.
The Mets' offense must be better in 2027, and Falvey could implore Stearns to look at a player like Arraez, whom he's familiar with.
Tyler Mahle, SP
Mahle had a 5.13 ERA in 18 starts to begin the 2026 season with the Giants, but he turned into an ace after being dealt to the Braves. He recorded a 1.99 ERA in nine starts and was excellent in two postseason starts. Mahle has been up-and-down throughout his career, including during his brief stint with the Twins.
Falvey gave up a lot to acquire Mahle at the 2022 trade deadline, sending Spencer Steer, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, and Steve Hajjar to the Reds. Mahle made just four starts the rest of the year, recording a 4.41 ERA. The following season, Mahle recorded a 3.16 ERA in five starts before undergoing Tommy John surgery.
The 32-year-old Mahle can still be an effective starter in the right situation. Like Shane Bieber, Mahle carries a lot of risk with his injury history. But he shined with the Braves and in the postseason this year, and Falvey could want a second chance with Mahle.
Emilio Pagán, RP
Pagán spent two years with Falvey's Twins in 2022 and 2023. The reliever posted a 4.43 ERA in 59 games in his first season with the club, but bounced back in 2023 with a 2.99 ERA. He's since spent three seasons with the Reds, including the past two years as the team's primary closer.
Pagán has been fantastic with the Reds, especially in the last two years. During that time, he recorded a 3.07 ERA and 57 saves in 115 appearances. The 35-year-old has a career 3.64 ERA and has proven to be a reliable, although inconsistent, bullpen presence.
The Mets dealt away several relievers at this year's trade deadline. Pagán could reinforce the team's bullpen while also serving as insurance in case Devin Williams is ineffective or deals with an injury. Even if he had no ties to Falvey, Pagán should still be a target for the Mets this offseason.
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