The New York Mets, led by owner Steve Cohen, are fully committed to pursuing superstar free agent Juan Soto this offseason. However, competition for Soto is fierce, with the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, and Los Angeles Dodgers also in the race. If the Mets fail to secure Soto, they’ll need a strong backup plan to keep their offseason ambitions on track. Part of this contingency involves targeting a top-tier starting pitcher.

Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report has predicted the Mets will focus on signing Baltimore Orioles ace Corbin Burnes if Soto goes elsewhere. Reuter projects Burnes could land a seven-year contract worth $255.5 million, with an average annual value slightly surpassing the $36 million earned by Yankees’ ace Gerrit Cole. “While I initially expected the Orioles to retain Burnes with a long-term deal, that scenario now seems unlikely,” Reuter noted.

“If the Mets or Red Sox fail to secure Soto, Burnes could emerge as a priority target.”

The projected $255.5 million deal for Burnes is notably higher than many estimates, which typically place his potential contract between $200 million and $225 million. Still, if the Mets fall short in the Soto sweepstakes, their urgency could lead to aggressive spending. Burnes, as one of the league’s elite pitchers, represents a prime fallback option and could be the Mets’ most logical acquisition to salvage their offseason.