Mets: Zack Wheeler may be the last man standing from the 2013 team

This offseason could include multiple moves which make Zack Wheeler the last man standing from the 2013 New York Mets.

The 2013 New York Mets didn’t have the excitement, star power, or wins teams before and after did. The 74-88 record placed them in third in the National League East.

In the years that have followed, we’ve seen plenty of changes with the roster. When the 2019 season opens, Zack Wheeler may be the final man from that team left standing.

Wheeler was one of several young players who began to showcase their talents in 2013. Five years later, many have either left or have become candidates to leave this winter.

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Specifically, it’s the trio of Juan Lagares, Travis d’Arnaud, and Wilmer Flores whom we may see the Mets move on from this offseason. Lagares is a trade candidate with the other two falling into the category of possible non-tendered players. d’Arnaud is coming off of Tommy John Surgery while Flores has arthritis in his knees.

The rest of the position players from 2013 have left at some point. We did see Matt den Dekker play a little in 2018. I’m certain we won’t see him again in 2019.

From the pitching staff, the last of the group still with the organization is Jenrry Mejia. The lifetime ban placed on him for three failed drug tests was lifted this year so we could technically see him pitch for the Mets in 2019. Other than him, the only two guys to sniff an inning in 2018, aside from Wheeler, were Jeurys Familia and Matt Harvey. There is zero chance the latter comes back to New York.

Five years isn’t all that long to have this much turnover. If we want to dare and dive into the 2014 season, the lone players still with the organization are Wheeler, deGrom, Mejia, and Rafael Montero. A torn UCL cost Montero the entire 2018 campaign and may have ended his tenure with the Mets.

Of course, the current roster began to take shape in 2015. Promotions for Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz began their Mets careers. The same is true for Michael Conforto and even Kevin Plawecki. The huge Yoenis Cespedes trade added one more player to the team currently sticking around.

The current and the Mets we see in the immediate future are a lot different from the group that took the field in 2013. Thank goodness they are. That squad had little hope of improving.

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The same isn’t true of the present day team. There’s a young core made up of guys who should, hopefully, linger a little longer.