The New York Mets figure to be one of the most talked-about teams this offseason, but then again, when aren't they? In recent years, the Mets have always found ways to make headlines, both good and bad.

Entering this offseason, much of the attention will be on New York's expected pursuit of Tarik Skubal, and for good reason. Many analysts project the two-time Cy Young Award winner to surpass Yoshinobu Yamamoto's record $325 million contract, the largest ever given to a starting pitcher.

If the Mets are indeed the ones to give Skubal a contract of that magnitude, it would leave less financial flexibility to address other areas of need, particularly the bullpen.

With that in mind, if David Stearns were to allocate just $17 million toward rebuilding New York's bullpen for 2027, here are three relievers he should target.

Sign Jonathan Loaisiga as their new setup man

After trading Luke Weaver at the deadline, the Mets need someone they can confidently turn to as a setup man for Devin Williams. What better option is there than Jonathan Loaisiga, a reliever who's already shown he can handle pitching in New York?

Loaisiga spent parts of eight seasons with the Yankees, establishing himself as a highly effective late-inning option before undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2024. His return in 2025 was far from encouraging, raising questions about whether he could regain his previous form.

However, last season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the right-hander looked better than ever before. In 67 innings, Loaisiga posted a 2.42 ERA with 48 strikeouts, a 2.88 FIP, and a 1.03 WHIP.

One of the biggest differences for him was a change in pitch selection. After relying heavily on his dominant sinker for much of his career, Loaisiga reduced its usage by 22 percentage points while incorporating more four-seam fastballs and changeups.

Perhaps more notable was his velocity returning. After seeing his average sinker velocity drop by 1.1 mph in 2025 following Tommy John surgery, Loaisiga rebounded last season, averaging 97.9 mph with the pitch, much closer to his career norm.

The success of these adjustments is further supported by his underlying metrics. According to Baseball Savant, Loaisiga ranked in at least the 92nd percentile in chase percentage (35.9%), hard-hit percentage (31.7%), ground ball percentage (55.8%), and walk percentage (5.0%).

Signing Loaisiga to a two-year, $16 million contract ($8M AAV) feels like a no-brainer for the Mets.

Bring in Brock Burke as a high-leverage left-handed weapon

Heading into next season, manager Andy Green needs a reliever whom he can call upon to retire opposing teams' best left-handed hitters.

While it's important for every team to have at least one reliable left-handed reliever, it's even more imperative for the Mets. After all, New York plays in a division riddled with lefty sluggers, including Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, Matt Olson, James Wood, and C.J. Abrams.

Of the available left-handed options on the free agent market, the best fit for New York may be Brock Burke.

The 30-year-old is coming off the best season of his six-year career, posting a 2.30 ERA across 74.1 innings with 74 strikeouts and a 1.26 WHIP.

What separates Burke from the other available left-handed reliever options is his ability to neutralize hitters from both sides of the plate. Burke held left-handers to a .195 batting average with a .588 OPS, while right-handers hit just .208 with a .667 OPS against him.

The Mets' only viable left-handed bullpen options next season are second-year arm Nate Lavender and veteran Cionel Perez.

Lavender should get a spot on the Opening Day roster after posting a 1.66 ERA in 21.2 innings. However, expecting the 26-year-old to replicate that success may be a little premature. As for Perez, he will have to earn his way onto the roster.

Signing Burke to a two-year, $12 million contract ($6M AAV) feels like an opportunity too good to pass up.

Acquire Anthony Bender from the Marlins to add a different look to the bullpen

The final move the Mets should consider to shore up their bullpen is acquiring right-handed reliever Anthony Bender from the Miami Marlins.

Bender throws from a near-sidearm angle, making him a nightmare for opposing hitters. He relies on his signature sweeper and sinker 84% of the time, making him particularly difficult for right-handed hitters.

Against 81 right-handed batters faced last season, Bender held them to a .149 batting average with a .440 OPS.

Overall, across 34.1 innings, Bender posted a 2.62 ERA with 41 strikeouts and a 0.96 WHIP.

When constructing a bullpen, the ideal scenario is to have a collection of relievers with different pitching profiles to keep opposing hitters off balance throughout games. Bender, who could become available on the trade market, would give the Mets exactly that.

The 31-year-old is entering his final season of team control with Miami and is projected to earn $3.4 million in arbitration in 2027, according to MLB Trade Rumors.

While the Marlins may hold onto him, President of Baseball Operations Peter Bendix has shown that almost no player is off the table.

Acquiring Bender makes even more sense for the Mets, considering he likely wouldn't command nearly as much prospect capital as other trade targets, such as Trevor Megill.

Finalized bullpen

With these three additions, here's what the Mets bullpen could look like in 2027:

Other options could include Dedniel Nunez, Tobias Myers, Austin Warren, Sean Manaea, and Tylor Megill.

For roughly $17 million in AAV, the Mets could turn one of their biggest question marks into a strength heading into next season.