Mets 26-man roster predictions: Who opens the season with the Amazins?

In only a few weeks, 26 men will be selected as members of the 2021 New York Mets Opening Day roster. Some won’t last the season. Others may evolve into heroes.

The Mets don’t have too many major decisions to make for their roster, leaving very little to compete for this spring in terms of the big roles. However, there are still some roles and roster spots up for grabs.

Rather than share my own predictions, I thought I would ask three Rising Apple writers for what they believe the Mets look like on Opening Day. Adrian Cervantes, Mason Smoller, and Zach Rotman were each given the task to put together their 26-man roster predictions. Although quite similar, there were a few minor differences between the three roster submissions I received.

Mets 26-man roster starting rotation predictions

Only one job is fully open for the Mets Opening Day starting rotation. The fifth starter spot appears to be a race between David Peterson and newcomer Joey Lucchesi. The fact that there is even a spring competition between these two has me convinced Mets fans may be disappointed with Lucchesi winning the job.

It’s only fair to let spring performance decide which of these two arms finds a spot in the starting rotation. I favor Peterson yet I tend to lean toward the belief that Lucchesi actually ends up with the gig.

When posed with the question as to what the rotation will look like, all three of our guests predicted the same thing, in no particular order:

1) Jacob deGrom
2) Carlos Carrasco
3) Marcus Stroman
4) Taijuan Walker
5) David Peterson

It’s the safest prediction to make even with Peterson’s job yet to be locked up. We may be making more of his spring competition with Joey Lucchesi than it actually is. Perhaps it’s what the Mets are using to motivate the young lefty to be even better.

Predicting the 26-man roster’s rotation is one thing. The bullpen would be a little more difficult.

Mets 26-man bullpen predictions

The bullpen is one aspect of the Mets Opening Day roster open for lots of debate. It might not include a lot of names, but there is at least a spot or two I could see someone arguing in favor or against an arm.

The club, unfortunately, doesn’t have too many guys with minor league options. This means several contenders may be cut before Opening Day. Others, like the ones getting paid some bigger bucks, are stuck with the club as they begin the year.

Solid relief pitching can be the difference between a successful Mets campaign and an absolute failure. How they open the year won’t factor much into the end result as they can always change things up along the way.

When the season opens, these are the arms my three predictors claim will be members of the Mets:

6) Edwin Diaz
7) Dellin Betances
8) Jeurys Familia
9) Miguel Castro
10) Trevor May
11) Aaron Loup
12) Robert Gsellman

Only one spot came up for debate. Will the Mets carry Lucchesi on their Opening Day roster as a reliever or go with Jerry Blevins?

Zach and Mason predict it will be Lucchesi in the bullpen to begin the year with Adrian going to the beat of his own drum, putting in ink that he thinks Jerry Blevins gets the job.

Perhaps the only other spot in the bullpen up for debate is Robert Gsellman. I think there’s a strong chance we see him buried in Triple-A to begin the season. However, with Seth Lugo out, Gsellman may become the club’s long-man.

Injuries are going to happen so let’s not write any of these predictions in stone quite yet. As it stands, the 13th warrior on the Mets Opening Day roster in 2021 will be one of two:

13) Joey Lucchesi or Jerry Blevins

Between the two, I think Lucchesi is the man the Mets go with.