Reese Kaplan -- The Good and the Bad of the 2024 Season

With a few wins on the books Mets fans and writers are slowly crawling back in off the ledge given the horrific start to the 2024 season.  Even the recent Saturday loss to the Reds isn’t really one that demands hard drinking to forget.  It appears that some of the bats are actually starting to wake up a bit and, even more importantly, after his woeful first start Luis Severino pitched well enough to win this game.

Thus far the season hasn’t exactly unfolded as a reversal from the 2023 battle to stay out of the cellar.  In fact, it started off even worse.  Still, when you start to see some good things occur it can’t help but make you think on some deep level that there may indeed be some positivity for the long term.

A good example would be third baseman Brett Baty.  Maybe it was confidence provided by being handed the third base job outright when Spring Training began, maybe it was an additional year of adjustment and experience or maybe it was just the innate talent finally surfacing after a nightmarish 2023.  Baty has not only made a few highlight reel defensive plays at the hot corner, he’s also transformed himself gradually into a competent player when it’s his turn at bat.  No one is sure what is sustainable nor what level of production he will provide by year’s end, but for now the Baty decision seems fairly solid.

Francisco Alvarez seems to have picked up right where he left off in 2023 and Spring Training, showing increased defensive acumen and a formidable bat, he looks like an exceptional candidate for a Braves-style long term contract while he’s still affordable to ensure he’ll be the backstop for perhaps the next decade.

Another acquisition made by David Stearns, clean shaven Sean Manaea put on a pitching expo for the ages in his initial NY Mets 2024 debut.  Many were unsure about delving into the second tier market for a starting pitcher and unsure what level of talent would be on display from a guy who has had his ups and downs throughout his career.  Here’s hoping we get to see many more of the ups.

Of course, the losing record wouldn’t exist without early season slumps by a wide variety of players.  Michael Tonkin has already been bounced from the major league roster and based upon the implosion by Yohan Ramirez on Saturday he may be the next one on the unfortunate bubble.  It seems that the arrivals of Reed Garrett and now Julio Teheran were unexpected roster developments but when Kodai Senga or Tylor Megill are deemed ready to return to the majors more moves will need to be made.  Obviously one of these latecomers could be vulnerable (and the fact that Garrett has an option).  Still, the fringier relievers may also get the ax.

On the offensive side, well, where do you start?  Harrison Bader is doing what he does — fielding with undeniable skill and batting without it.  Francisco Lindor has been surprisingly ineffective offensively, but his track record is way too good to get worried about him.  Jeff McNeil has also appeared a bit out of sorts which could reflect his time missed in Florida with health recovery.  Brandon Nimmo has already had a need to miss some time to heal up while not delivering his usual dependable offense. 

Of course, the offensive picture could improve dramatically if the club indeed receives a typical output from DH J.D. Martinez when he’s ready to make the ascent from his minor league getting-in-shape tenure up to Citifield.  Adding a 30 HR bat will only help reinforce the middle of the order.  The hope is that they don’t rush the man back who is in his late 30s and may need a little more time to get into every day playing shape.

Oh, for what it's worth, the man he replaced dwelling in Syracuse, Mark Vientos, is hitting .348 with 2 HRs, 7 RBIs and a slugging percentage of a mere .696.