The Mets have been on the hunt for a right-handed hitter who can be a fourth outfielder for the majority of this winter. That pursuit was put on hold during the Carlos Correa fiasco, but it picked back up once he re-signed with the Minnesota Twins.
And since then, Mets targets have been coming off the board because of agreements with other teams.
First, it was Andrew McCutchen. New York pursued him hard, but Cutch opted for a return to the Pittsburgh Pirates (plus more guaranteed playing time). Then, it was Trey Mancini, who agreed to a two-year deal with the Chicago Cubs.