By the time this column runs the Mets could be guaranteed a playoff spot or crashed and burned in legendary fashion. When you sit to write as I am doing late Sunday afternoon it’s not long from finding that outcome when I awaken Monday morning.
Right now I don’t want to focus on what could be or might not be with the very short remainder of the 2024 season. Instead, I think it’s time to focus a bit on the Mets off-season priorities as they sprint or stumble their way into David Stearns’ and Carlos Mendoza’s sophomore Mets seasons.
Starting Pitching
Kodai Senga if healthy is a given. Ditto David Peterson. Tylor Megill is on the periphery. After that it’s a big mystery. There’s no Sean Manaea, no Luis Severino, no Jose Quintana, no Christian Scott and likely no Paul Blackburn. With only one solid and consistent starter who missed all but a single inning of the 2024 season, it suggests that starting pitching is priority number one. Peterson and Megill will be around depending on whatever else happens but no longer does the club have use of minor league options. Negotiating hard with Manaea would certainly be cheaper than the top 5 free agent starting pitchers.
Relief Pitching
Edwin Diaz is back. Dedniel Nunez (if healthy) is back. Jose Butto is back. Huascar Brazoban can be back. After that i’s all a guessing game. The late season veteran additions Ryne Stanek and Phil Maton can both walk away. The AAAA support squad is suspect.
Infield
The big neon red question mark, of course, is Pete Alonso. How the rest of the infield falls rests directly on his decision to stay or go. After that the club has a plethora of in-house major and minor league options to fill the rest of the infield though it would mean first base is still something of a great unknown.
Outfield
Here’s it’s desperately murky. Brandon Nimmo is back. Unless traded away in his fourth and final season so to is Starling Marte. Tyrone Taylor, D.J. Stewart, Harrison Bader, Jesse Winker and whomever else spent a few innings in orange and blue are not likely part of the equation.
Bench
A lot of what the bench offers is dependent on how they resolve the starting assignments. It would be good to return Jose Igelesias to the club but he may desire a regular starting assignment elsewhere and try free agency. At this point of his career Jeff McNeil may have played himself into a supersub role instead of being a starter. You’ll have a backup catcher who at this point looks like it should be Luis Torrens. After that it would be some outfielders who can hit, run or field with aplomb. A return of Tyrone Taylor would not upset anyone at all.
Rookies to Promote
Now here is where there is some reason to smile. Luisangel Acuna and Ronny Mauricio will likely be coming north (assuming Mauricio has a successful winter playing ball). After that you have the questions of Brett Baty, Drew Gilbert and Jett Williams. The latter two likely need more time in AAA but Baty has done that role quite a bit already and it’s make or break time for him.
Adding Players From Outside
It’s premature when the exclusive negotiating windows have not closed on the Major League’s pending free agents so it’s not exactly clear yet who is available simply showing them the team’s growth plan and waving Steve Cohen’s money. Similarly, until much later in the year trades are unlikely to happen, but it does appear the Mets have some folks who could be used to fulfill moderate needs in the pen, the outfield or on the bench. Again, David Stearns has likely rated all potential trade acquisitions already, but like any good executive will keep that list unknown.
10 comments:
Question
Isn't Maton signed through 2025?
Brazaban is also Mets property next year, despite his age. And they did win, so PLAY BALL!
Why no Paul Blackburn? And why can’t Jose Butto get into the rotation? Hopefully, there are enough relievers to allow Butto back into the rotation. Maton has a $7.75MM team option for next year. Orze could be a factor as can Matt Gage, although these guys are fringe arms right now.
On Thursday, I am updating my "Blow It Up" post
Interesting results
I'm keeping Maton
Without a doubt, we have to go after Manaea. He has found his groove as a Met, so let's keep him a Met. Also, Peterson should be extended now rather than during a free agency war. With a repaired hip, he is a worthwhile pitcher to keep in the rotation. In the outfield, Marte sticks around because frankly I don't think anyone would offer much in a trade. Think about keeping Winker - he seems to have something about him that could flourish over the next few years. Same with Taylor.
I want Taylor back also. The guy plays great defense, comes up big in big spots
The Iglesias case is most interesting. Despite a career BA of .280, and excellent D, he was not offered a job anywhere, and when ST had come and gone he still was not playing anywhere.
The Mets gave him a shot, and playing at AAA he earned a promotion and has had an amazing season that even goes beyond the numbers.He has become an integral part of the soul of the team, not least with the "OMG" phenomenon.
When he got off to a hot start with the bat, hitting .300+ early on, it seemed like he couldn't keep up that pace, yet he kept getting better. While the NL batting leader ended the season at .313, Iglesias is outhitting him by 30 points!!
I can't imagine him going elsewhere next year. Perhaps in the Wilpon years, he wouldn't get an offer commensurate with his value, but I don't expect that to happen under David and Steve.
Can't see Iglesias back. No starting role for him on the Mets next year.
Blackburn is arbitration eligible in 2025 but has no guaranteed contract. Considering how poorly he performed as a Met, it would not pain many of us to see him hit the road. Still, right now the rotation only contains Senga, Peterson and perhaps Megill, so arms are indeed needed.
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