Jim Duquette’s Plan for the Mets’ Future

Former Mets general manager Jim Duquette has a straightforward suggestion for David Stearns to tackle the Mets’ challenges next season.

He believes they should sign Tarik Skubal in free agency.

On a recent episode of the Post’s “The Show” podcast with Jon Heyman, Duquette expressed that the Mets’ starting rotation is his primary worry. He raised doubts about whether Stearns’ methods for developing pitchers would really suit the pressures of playing in New York.

“Honestly, my main concern is their rotation,” Duquette remarked. “The philosophy that David Stearns has just doesn’t seem like it will fly in New York. There are just too many unknowns and a lack of certainty in the rotation compared to the Yankees and Dodgers.”

“They’ve got to secure Skubal. Without him, I’m not sure what their plan could be.”

Skubal was traded to the World Series-winning Dodgers before the deadline and is projected to command a significant contract on the open market this offseason.

Winning the American League Cy Young Award for the past two years, Skubal boasts a 2.93 ERA across 18 appearances in 2026.

The Dodgers and Yankees, known for their deep pockets, had also shown interest in Skubal prior to the deadline and are expected to remain in the running to acquire him this winter.

The Mets’ rotation has been a major obstacle for the team this season with a 4.46 ERA, ranking as the ninth-worst in Major League Baseball.

A series of setbacks—including a failed stint with Freddy Peralta, who was traded to the Rays after struggling—hasn’t helped their situation. Peralta, previously expected to be a standout since joining from Milwaukee, started 22 games for the Mets yet ended up with a 4.99 ERA before being traded.