NL East preview: 2. New York Mets
It was another offseason full of spending for the Mets, despite Jacob deGrom and Chris Bassitt departing in free agency. With Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer at the helm of the rotation, New York will look to win its first NL East title since 2015.
Despite losing deGrom and Bassitt, the Mets have maintained one of the best rotations in the MLB. After losing deGrom to the Texas Rangers in free agency, the front office responded quickly by signing reigning AL Cy Young Winner Justin Verlander to a two-year deal. Paired with Max Scherzer, the Mets now have two future Hall of Famers at the top of their rotation. It will be curious to see how this elite duo of aces will hold up over the course of a 162-game season. Kodai Senga is another new face in the rotation, perhaps the most intriguing player entering the 2023 season. The former NPB Superstar posted a 2.59 ERA over 1,000-plus innings, earning him a five-year, $75 million deal over the offseason. Senga’s arsenal features a 97-98 mph fastball along with a forkball which hitters have continually struggled with, making him a strong contender for NL Rookie of the Year. The Mets also added Jose Quintana on a two-year deal this offseason, adding another solid veteran arm to the mix. Last year was a bounce-back season for Quintana, serving as a stellar deadline acquisition for the St. Louis Cardinals. Quintana posted a 2.01 ERA in 63 innings with St. Louis, including five scoreless innings in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card. However, the 34 year old sustained a rib lesion in spring training, likely keeping him out until at least july. With Quintana out for some time, Tylor Megill, Carlos Carrasco and David Peterson all have a chance to be a piece in the rotation come Opening Day. While some anticipate Megill may have a bullpen role, I think it would be smart to ease Megill back into this rotation. At 27, Megill is the youngest arm on this veteran staff, and it would be wise for New York to establish Megill as a reliable option in this rotation for years to come. He certainly has the arsenal to do it. Overall, a huge tip of the cap to the Mets front office. It’s an incredible accomplishment to somehow band together a top five rotation despite losing both deGrom and Bassitt.
The bullpen took a devastating hit, with closer Edwin Diaz out for the season after injuring himself in the WBC. Fortunately, New York signed closer David Robertson over the offseason, who has been nothing but stellar in the past two postseasons. Over the past two postseasons, Robertson has surrendered just one run over 11.2 innings pitched, making him very worthy of the closing role this season. Adam Ottavino was re-signed, giving New York a strong option for a potential setup man. The deep group also features lefty Brooks Raley and righty Drew Smith, both of whom are coming off seasons with sub 3.50 ERAs.
Francisco Lindor blasted 27 homers last season hitting .270, silencing the haters and proving he is still one of the best two-way players in our game. It was business as usual for Pete Alonso, who eclipsed the 40-homer mark for the second time in his career last season, leading the team with a 143 wRC+. Alonso and Lindor will look to lead one of the deepest lineups in our game. After another productive offensive season, Brandon Nimmo got a massive eight-year, $162 million deal. Nimmo is currently dealing with a sprained knee/ankle, and may start the year on the IL. With James McCann traded, free agent signing Omar Narvaez will start behind the dish this year. Narvaez will likely platoon with Tomas Nido, with Francisco Alvarez, the number three overall prospect in baseball, starting the year at Triple-A. Starling Marte missed the WBC recovering from surgery, aiming to be back in the lineup for Opening Day. The two time All-Star is coming off his best season, registering a 136 wRC+ in 505 at-bats. DH Daniel Vogelbach proved to be a worthy acquisition during the trade deadline, with Vogelbach slashing a career high 128 wRC+ last season. Vogelbach will look to replicate these stellar numbers, likely only in the starting lineup against righties. Mark Canha also posted a 128 wRC+, further establishing himself as a reliable top of the order bat on a contending team. The bench makes this lineup even deeper, with Darin Ruf, Luis Guillorme, and Tommy Pham all viable options. Just about everyone will have their eyes on prospects Brett Baty and Mark Vientos, two of New York’s highest-rated prospects. After homering in his first big league at bat, Baty struggled mightily, hitting .184 in 38 at-bats.
Sure, last year was better than the 2021 dumpster fire. Last season, the Mets made it to the postseason and won 100 games … but let’s not act like the annual late-season collapse didn’t happen again. The Mets lost a late season series to Atlanta, moving them to a Wild Card spot which resulted in a playoff series loss at home to the San Diego Padres. While the Mets may have a better team on paper, the execution just isn’t there yet, at least until they prove otherwise. Regardless, this is a strong Mets squad that has limitless potential come October.