David Stearns has a lot of decisions ahead of him this offseason. He's shown that he isn't afraid to go against the grain and make unpopular moves to further his agenda as president of baseball operations.

Nonetheless, now is the time for Mets fans to make their voices heard and let it be known who they want. Let's address some signings that the Mets should make, not necessarily obvious decisions like pursuing Tarik Skubal, but players who could help the organization and are realistic targets.

1. David Bednar

A big decision that needs to be made this offseason is who will be the Mets' closer. Devin Williams lost the role in 2026 due to his poor performance, and Kodai Senga has yet to prove he can handle a full season as a reliever, let alone as a closer.

Bednar is coming off one of the best seasons of his career. His 35 saves are the second most he's had in a single season, as well as the highest workload of his career, with 69.1 innings.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic projected Bednar to receive a 3-year, $55 million contract. This would be $4 million richer than the deal Williams got last offseason, but Bednar has a longer track record of success, and it allows Williams the opportunity to have an 8th-inning role and give new life to his Mets tenure.

Another option for closer includes Trevor Megill, who is facing a contract year in 2027 and could be traded. Megill would cost a sizable amount of prospect capital, though, while Bednar only costs money, which Steve Cohen has plenty of and isn't afraid to spend.

2. Michael King

An argument against the Mets pursuing Skubal is the possibility of signing King and perhaps a reunion with Clay Holmes. The combined contracts would theoretically be slightly less than or equal to the price of Skubal, allowing the Mets to bring in two premier pitchers instead of one.

King opted out of his deal with the Padres, and for good reason. He pitched the most innings of his career at 185, posting a 3.21 ERA and 159 strikeouts.

Perhaps more importantly, King has shown the ability to excel in New York. He had some of his best seasons with the Yankees, and after the disaster that was the Freddy Peralta signing, prior success in New York is a factor when evaluating a free agent.

He also has plenty of experience as a reliever, which is always a plus. If the Mets play well enough to make the playoffs, he could be used out of the bullpen, something that would be a tough ask for young pitchers like Nolan McLean and Zac Thornton.

3. Brandon Lowe

Lowe might be one of the most underappreciated hitters in baseball. He's posted back-to-back 30+ home run seasons, along with 96 RBI and an .824 OPS this past year.

In both seasons where he hit over 90 RBI, 2021 and 2026, he wasn't an All-Star. He's set to command respect in the free-agent market, though, as Bowden projected him to receive a 3-year, $45 million deal.

Some factors that make this a little less likely to happen are Marcus Semien's contract as well as Jefferson Rojas looming in Triple-A. Semien is still owed $46 million over the next two seasons, while Rojas, the Mets' top prospect, could be ready to play second base in the big leagues as soon as 2027.

However, with Semien's disastrous 2026 season, combined with Rojas's second base development potentially being affected by the lockout, Lowe could be worth a look for Stearns. The Mets could be in a bit of a precarious spot if the lockout lasts for an extended period of time, preventing Rojas from participating in minor league games, and potentially leaving the team stuck with Semien to start the season.

That's where Lowe could enter the picture. He's a proven second baseman who drives in runs, something the Mets haven't had in a long time.

In an offseason with everything on the line, Stearns should be thinking a little outside the box. The trio of Bednar, King, and Lowe could be a part of that equation.