Reese Kaplan -- What Surprises Could Happen Before Opening Day?

So as Spring Training cruises to the halfway mark, what transactions might take place that would stun you?  

New Player Acquisitions

For a team that was relatively active in the offseason taking on free agents who were in the 2nd and 3rd tier of ranking as well as a trade with Milwaukee they have been rather sedate ever since that traditional active period concluded.  Part of that approach is patience to allow the new manager and POBO learn exactly what it is that they have in house, where they need improvement and who needs more seasoning before being granted the big promotion from the minors to the majors.  

What is interesting, however, as injuries occur or slumps persist that there are a significant number of veteran ballplayers still looking for employment but the Mets have not made any known gestures towards them.  There is a self-imposed spending limit for this transition year and the big exit from payroll that follows in November of 2024.  However, it is still possible the Mets could decide it would be worth taking a flyer on current free agents, DFA'd players or ones who are simply cut from their current teams.  Trades could also be made but thus far the rumor mills are not spinning in that direction.

Demotion of David Stearns Acquisitions

One thing every new boss needs to do is prove himself to his employer.  David Stearns wasted no time paring down the roster and refilling it with lightning-in-a-bottle types and lesser regarded players for whom he sees a good value when you factor in contract longevity and annual pay rate.  Of course, no matter how good Stearns was in his long tenure in Milwaukee, nobody bats 1.000 and it's entirely possible that some of his lesser acquisitions may not play to the level he anticipated.

The question then becomes how important are player options compared to POBO ego?  Take Shintaro Fujinami for example.  His arm is quite live but his control is not there and his USA rookie performance suggested he's not quite put it together on this side of the Pacific.  His first appearance after a late start to Spring Training was a good one.  His second was not.  He's not earning a huge amount with a contract under $3.5 million and he does have options.  Might Stearns see it is more prudent to use one of those options in order to start the season with someone who lacks minor league options and he'd risk losing?  Time will tell.

Injuries Forcing Roster Decisions

The front and center obvious injuries to David Peterson over the winter and Kodai Senga in Florida suggest that the Mets may be relying on those spare starters sooner than they had anticipated.  Thus far Tylor Megill is pitching like he means business, and with Joey Lucchesi's late start and Max Kranick's injury it would appear that Jose Butto is about the only competition (and backup starter) available if Megill falters or if another starting pitcher injury happens.  

For now it would appear they are not interested in the upper tier of the free agent landscape that includes Blake Snell, Trevor Bauer and Jordan Montgomery.  It also appears that the big step downward for the likes of Johnny Cueto and that ilk are not significantly better than the thin depth the Mets have in house already.   Still, health is paramount and many times roster changes happen as a result of someone else's injury or illness rending him unavailable.  

Ongoing Struggles With Rule Enforcement

The club has already seen an umpire cite Joey Wendle for a more active enforcement of defensive player interference that's apparently going to become a much more prominent part of the 2024 ballgame.  As a result, there are going to need to be a corresponding shift in the amount of defense field reps to the players most under the microscope for this type of reprimand from the guys in blue.  

Veteran Players Sent Packing

The final totally shocking variable that could happen would be well known veteran ballplayers being traded, DFA'd or simply cut prior to the season beginning.  As an example, the club might feel that there is a market for moderately paid Omar Narvaez who took his option to stay with the Mets despite him not banking on much playing time with the emergence of Francisco Alvarez.  The Mets could look to take on another club's spare part in a trade of salaried players who no longer fit their current team's needs.

Other players who could end up not being in New York could include D.J. Stewart who is a bit one dimensional (and inconsistent with his bat alone) for the more defensively minded David Stearns.  He has an option remaining.  Some of the relief pitchers would fit in here as well.  It's even possible you'd think the desire to create room for a hot spring player like Trayce Thompson might exacerbate these heretofore unpredicted changes for seasoned players.

Of course, it's entirely possible things will progress as expected since creativity and proactivity have not been hallmarks of the 2024 transition year's roster development.  We'll all know within a few weeks.