Some view free agent hurler Zac Gallen as a prime target for the starter-needy Mets. Assuming the Arizona Diamondbacks don’t re-sign the 30-year-old pitcher, who’s spent nearly his entire career with the team, Harold Reynolds sees the Mets making a move.
“Get a healthy arm, Mets!” Reynolds suggested, when discussing Gallen’s free agency on MLB Network’s Hot Stove. “Jersey kid. I’m with you,” co-host Matt Vasgersian agreed. “I’ll also say the Mets because I think they’re going to be in on all the starting pitching this winter.”
Is Zac Gallen a good fit for the Mets’ rotation?
Gallen picked a bad time to have the worst season of his career. He became a free agent after signing a one-year, $13.5 million contract with the Diamondbacks last offseason. It was the third straight one-year contract he signed with Arizona.
The All-Star righty went 13-15 while recording career-worst marks in ERA (4.83), K/9 (8.2), ERA+ 89 and bWAR (1.1). Despite the poor season, teams were still interested in Gallen at the trade deadline.
The seventh-year veteran has proven himself a quality starter. Gallen had finished top 10 in Cy Young voting three times in the previous five seasons. He was also a key member of the Diamondbacks team that reached the World Series in 2023.
The Mets need to bolster their rotation. New York found itself at a crossroads in 2025. The team’s veteran starters – Kodai Senga, David Peterson and Clay Holmes – struggled down the stretch. The Mets turned to a trio of rookies to save the season. Ultimately the strategy failed.
New York won the offseason last year, landing free agent prize Juan Soto. After an unexpected run to the NLCS in 2024, the team was expected to compete for a championship. Despite spending big, the Mets came up small in a massively disappointing season.
But New York has the foundation of a starting staff with Nolan McLean, Peterson and Senga. Adding Gallen to the mix could help the Mets rebound in 2026.
