Reese Kaplan -- Mets Offense Worse in 2025 But Perhaps Improving

It’s taken nearly the entire offseason, but this past week the Mets have actually been involved in reshaping their thus far inappropriately flawed roster.  While right now the 2025 Mets offensively appear to be inferior to the playoff bound version from last season, there has been more noise about moves and potential moves from the front office as the clock ticking approaches hearing damage warning level with Spring training beginning in just one week.

Before we launch into what can still be done or what should be done, let’s first examine the contention that the offense is inferior to what was on the field last year.  Thus far there is no first baseman, we guess Jeff McNeil at second base, Francisco Lindor at shortstop and maybe Mark Vientos at third base.  Still injured Brandon Nimmo is in left field, the AAAA twins in center field as starters despite both batting right handed, and Juan Soto in right field.  There is no DH.  Francisco Alvarez returns behind the dish. 

No one is denying that the $50+ million per year right fielder Soto is a better hitter and more than capable of addressing the Pete Alonso void.  So for purposes of this exercise, let’s productivity-wise assign Soto vs. Alonso.  That’s a 2025 win.  Then we have McNeil vs. McNeil.  That’s a push.  Ditto Lindor.   Ditto Vientos.  Nimmo vs. Nimmo is a great unknown as no one can predict how many games the man can play or how he must alter his swing to compensate for the discomfort from plantar fasciitis.  In center field Harrison Bader was more about glove than bat.  His replacement Jose Siri is more of the same for less money and less offensive output.  Tyrone Taylor is a push with Tyrone Taylor.  Francisco Alvarez is a push with his 2024 version.

So if you look at it there is one 2025 victory in Juan Soto.  Then you have a lot of the same returning, but still no first baseman and no DH while hoping for health and/or rebounds from a variety of 2024 season under performers. 

OK, so now let’s see what can be done to help.  One very interesting trade rumor that came up this past week was Tampa Rays’ first baseman Yandy Diaz.  While not exactly the kind of household name many alternatives would be, he’s been very solid since arriving to the major leagues from Cuba.  For his career he has been an extremely solid hitter.  His first four years were spent as a part time player between 2017 and 2020.  During that period he had 686 ABs and hit 17 home runs, drove in 77 and batted .280.  He became a regular in 2021 so it makes sense to evaluate what he’s done in his last four years.  He has then averaged .291 with a 162 game average again of 17 HRs and 77 RBIs.  What’s especially impressive is his OBP of .376, SLG of .438 and OPS of .814.

If you’re looking for a point of comparison, a current Mets broadcaster while playing first base for the club hit .296 while averaging 15 HRs and driving in 86 while producing very similar other numbers.  When you think about it, what Diaz is doing is actually pretty good. 

Unlike Alonso, Diaz is more like a leadoff or number two hitter based upon his ability to make contact and get on base which is why his RBI numbers are a little suppressed.  Why he might be an especially good fit for the Mets right now is that he is going to play this year at age 33 with the final year of his current contract the only financial obligation of a mere $10 million.  An option exists for age 34 in 2026 at an increase to $12 million.  He could either be retained while the club pursues another conspicuously attractive free agent at the top of the market or cut loose if they happen to land him. 

Now what it would take to get Diaz is probably going to amount to prospect capital.  The Rays are not looking to increase their payroll nor age their roster by moving people like Starling Marte or Jeff McNeil.  No, here you would be looking to sacrifice one top 20 level prospect who could likely help in 2025 and another lower level wildcard prospect.  Is that too much to pay?  Probably not. 

Worst case scenario, the Mets somehow land Diaz and reunite with Dave Kingman.  Problem?  No, now both the first base position and the DH position vacancies have been handled admirably. Then the 2025 offense might even be able to withstand the other positional question marks with the addition of not one but two solid bats to add to the Juan Soto acquisition.

Get it done.