Former New York Mets general manager Jim Duquette has identified signing pitcher Tarik Skubal as the imperative solution to the team's persistent rotation issues.
During an appearance on The Post's "The Show" podcast, Duquette expressed concerns about the Mets' pitching staff, suggesting that the current front-office philosophy may not be sustainable in New York without guaranteed top-tier talent. "My biggest concern is in their rotation," Duquette stated. "The philosophy that David Stearns has had just doesn’t work in New York. There’s too many variables if you don’t get some certainty in the rotation, like what the Yankees have and the Dodgers have."
Duquette emphasized the necessity of acquiring Skubal, saying, "They have to sign Skubal. I don’t see any other way out of this if they don’t get Skubal."
Skubal, who was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers prior to the deadline, is anticipated to command a record-setting contract in the upcoming offseason. He has won the American League Cy Young Award in each of the past two seasons and currently holds a 2.93 ERA over 18 starts in 2026. The Dodgers and Yankees, both of whom reportedly pursued Skubal before the trade deadline, are expected to be among the teams vying for his services.
The Mets' rotation has been a significant weakness this season, entering Tuesday with the ninth-worst ERA in baseball at 4.46. The team's acquisition of Freddy Peralta, intended to bolster the rotation, has not yielded the desired results, with Peralta pitching to a 4.99 ERA in 22 starts before being traded to the Tampa Bay Rays.