Reese Kaplan -- Final Spring Week Leads to Final Roster Selections

With the Mets heading into the final week of spring training, what is good, what is bad and what is thus far too uncertain to predict?

The Good

Start right off with your choice of Clay Holmes or Juan Soto.  Both new additions to the Mets have thus far demonstrated to anyone paying attention what they can do and that they were indeed solid performers who lived up (or exceeded) their potential.  While there might have been a little hesitation about Soto and living up to the record setting contract, he quickly exhibited the offense talent that helped him land it.  The conversion of top notch relief pitching skill into a stretched out starting rotation slot was a bit more of a long shot gamble.  Not only did Holmes deliver top notch dominance on the starting mound, but given the injuries and health uncertainty with other members of the starting rotation he’s already been tabbed to be the Mets’ Opening Day starter.  It doesn’t get much better than that.

The Bad

Here we have quite a few players who are having injuries to start off their 2025 season.  Topping this list would be starting pitchers Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas both facing lat strains.  The severity on both is different with Manaea already beginning long tossing and suggesting his return to the starting five (or six?) will be sooner than anticipated. 

Then we have the longer loss of catcher Francisco Alvarez.  There’s no way to paint a pretty picture when surgery on the left hand is required due to the hamate bone fracture.  Right now the big question is who will get identified as the backup catcher to Luis Torrens who will now assume starting catcher duties. 

The somewhat unexpected announcement of Jeff McNeil’s right oblique strain puts some additional pressure on an already thinned veteran infield corps with Nick Madrigal already slated to miss all of 2025 with his shoulder fracture.  Right now they’re talking about 4 weeks after ran initial period of 7-10 days of total shutdown for McNeil before slowly working his way back into playing condition.

The Unknown

Take your pick here.  We have both Brandon Nimmo and Starling Marte working their respective ways back from knee injuries.  Both are considered possible DHs in order to minimize the amount of running required by playing the field.  With McNeil also out, it leaves the outfield pretty thin with the prospect of slated DH Jesse Winker as someone who might actually have to play the field until others are more healthy. 

Then there are the questions of the rehabilitation of relievers A.J. Minter and Dedniel Nunez while oft-injured Sean Reid-Foley already removed from the 40-man roster.  Both are making progress but at what workload level are they expected to endure in cold April? 

On the middle infield, has Brett Baty done enough with his bat to warrant a temporary starting assignment at second base in place of McNeil?  Or would this role be better served by the defensively more solid Luisangel Acuna who everyone had expected to return to Syracuse?

Others on the roster with great expectations on their shoulders are veteran Pete Alonso and Jose Siri, sophomore starter Mark Vientos, veteran relievers Edwin Diaz, Jose Butto, Ryne Stanek, Reed Garrett and Huascar Brazoban.  Then there are other relievers without a great rack record like Danny Young and Tyler Zuber.  Finally there are the quartet of would-be starting pitchers or long relievers in Paul Blackburn, Griffing Canning, Max Kranick and Tylor Megill.

It’s going to be a stressful final week in Port St. Lucie for quite a few players as David Stearns and Carlos Mendoza make some tough roster choices.