Mets players on the hot seat heading into the 2021 season

4 of 5

NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 10: General manager Sandy Alderson of the New York Mets watches his team during batting practice before a game against the Colorado Rockies on August 10, 2015 at Citi Field in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

As the New York Mets head into the 2021 regular season there are several players whose seats are warm due to past performance and who could be finding their job in jeopardy if expectations are not met. The organization has done a great job as a whole in filling potential weaknesses this offseason on the Major League roster, but there are still areas that the front office could upgrade on later this season.

While I grade the Mets offseason as a whole as an A, there are still fans who are pessimistic about certain players who remain on the active roster, and I firmly believe those four players (in which I will name) are potentially on the hot seat.

However, it’s still important to remember we potentially have witnessed the greatest Mets offseason since 2006 with the number of quality acquisitions that were made this winter.

The Mets enter the 2021 campaign with four players who will be playing under a larger microscope than others on the roster.

When looking at the landscape of Major League Baseball, no club has currently come into Spring Training without questions on their active roster, and the Mets do have a few questions that need answering this spring when it comes to the following four players. Each of these players needs to have a great spring and get off to a hot start this season in order to cool their seats moving forward.

Let’s dive into looking at the first of four players who are on the hot seat for the Mets heading into 2021. These players’ performance will dictate where their future lies within the organization.

JUPITER, FLORIDA – MARCH 01: J.D. Davis #28 of the New York Mets makes a throw to first base as Francisco Lindor #12 of the New York Mets backs him up in the second inning against the Miami Marlins in a spring training game at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on March 01, 2021 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /

1) Third Baseman J.D. Davis

Let’s be honest, there has been no player that has come into Spring Training under more scrutiny by fans and the front office alike than third baseman J.D. Davis. While I am a huge fan of what J.D. Davis brings to the table offensively, it’s been Davis’ defense that has played a role in his name constantly being discussed in trades this offseason.

It’s important to note that Davis has not been discussed as a throwaway in any trade rumor, as his name seemed to come up in trades for some of the top tier third basemen in the league such as Kris Bryant and Nolan Arenado. However, due to the offensive struggles, Davis faced in 2020 combined with his defensive shortcomings, the Mets explored the market for a potential upgrade.

That doesn’t go without saying that the front office still may look to upgrade at the third base position at some point during the 2021 season if Davis has any semblance of his 2020 season and not the outstanding year he had in 2019. You could argue despite the shortened season’s struggles that the 27-year old Davis still has his best baseball ahead of him, but it seems out of all players currently on the active roster Davis may be the one under more of a microscope this season.

Davis is not eligible for free agency until 2025, which gives the Mets another building block for the future, dependent on his offensive bounce back in 2021 and his potential improvements defensively. It’s encouraging to see Davis working with Francisco Lindor in camp this spring to make those defensive adjustments, as Davis needs to get off to a good start both at the plate and in the field to silence the lingering trade chatter that has surrounded him since November.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 12: Robert Gsellman #65 of the New York Mets delivers the pitch against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field on August 12, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /

2) Right-handed pitcher Robert Gsellman

In what seems like an eternity since Robert Gsellman’s Major League debut back in 2016, in which he produced a 2.42 ERA over eight appearances (seven starts), he had many believing he was the next great arm to come out of the Mets Minor League pipeline. Unfortunately, inconsistencies since 2017 have poured cold water on those expectations and Gsellman, comes into the 2021 season in a critical spot in which he needs to deliver better performances on the mound or he could be on the outside looking in this season.

Gsellman was tendered a contract by the Mets this offseason at $1.3 million which confused many fans due to his forgettable 2020 campaign. Gsellman was ultimately given another shot at joining the starting rotation, which is something he has long campaigned for, and he largely struggled when the Mets were desperate for starting pitching help.

It’s also important to remember that both Gsellman and Team President Sandy Alderson had an ugly spat within the media back in 2017 after Gsellman irritated then General Manager Sandy Alderson by saying “I don’t care” when Alderson had spoken to reporters about Gsellman’s recent performance and needing Gsellman to pitch better.

A big reason Gsellman was brought back was due to the fact he has one minor league option remaining which gives the Mets some roster flexibility if the 27-year old right-hander stumbles out of the gates. However, with only one more arbitration-eligible year before Gsellman reaches free agency, he could find himself in his final rodeo and a potential non-tender candidate next season with the only organization he has ever known, if the Mets don’t see any improvement this upcoming season.

WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 27: Dellin Betances #68 of the New York Mets pitches during a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on September 27, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

3). Right-handed pitcher Dellin Betances

There were mixed feelings among fans that surrounded Dellin Betances exercising his $6.8 million player option to return to the Mets this offseason. It certainly was justified as we witnessed a reliever who largely struggled with his velocity and had posted a hideous 7.71 ERA, 2.06 WHIP, and 11/12 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 11.2 innings. Betances also missed the entire month of September after suffering a right lat injury.

While Betances has produced better velocity on the radar guns so far in camp, it wasn’t too long ago that the Mets front office was looking for any potential takers for Betances on the trade market during the winter. Betances also carries a potential player vesting option for 2022, which is something that could play into the role of Betances future with the organization based on his performance in 2021.

Much of the scrutiny this offseason has been placed on the Mets not doing enough to upgrade the bullpen despite the addition of reliever Trevor May. It seems the front office is looking for a bounce-back season from both Betances and Gsellman to justify not making another roster move at this point. However, Betances carries one of the larger price tags of all Mets relievers on the roster, therefore the front office is going to give him a little more of a leash than most players normally would get in similar circumstances.

It’s important for Betances’ velocity to improve from last season and for him to produce results early on in the season due to the plethora of right-handed arms the Mets have on their 40-man roster. With the front office already seemingly looking to find a way to move on from him this offseason, it makes it all the more important that Betances finds a way to impress the new front office regime to have a future with the organization over the next two seasons.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 25: Jeurys Familia #27 of the New York Mets in action against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field on July 25, 2020 in New York City. The 2020 season had been postponed since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Braves defeated the Mets 5-3 in ten innings. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

4) Right-handed pitcher Jeurys Familia

Continuing with the current theme of right-handed relievers, the final player that sees themselves on the Mets hot seat this season is reliever Jeurys Familia. As previously stated the Mets bullpen is one area that has often been criticized this offseason, and Familia’s performance this season will go a long way to settling down those critics.

Familia is entering the final year of his deal with the Mets this season but he carries an exorbitant $11.7 million price tag in 2021. Familia’s contract has put him under a bit more scrutiny over the past two seasons after signing a three-year $30 million deal back in 2018 while falling short on results. Similar to Dellin Betances, Familia was shopped this offseason on the trade block by the front office with no takers.

It’s fair to argue that Familia had a bit of a bounce-back in 2020 by posting a 3.71 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 23/19 strikeout to walk ratio in 26.2 innings pitched. But the 31-year old reliever still largely struggled with his command which is something he will have to improve upon this season if he expects to make it through the season as a member of the Mets. However. it’s still an improvement from the ugly 2019 campaign in which Familia pitched to a 5.70 ERA over 60 innings.

Next. Three potential openers that could be utilized out of the Mets bullpen

Want your voice heard? Join the Rising Apple team!

Write for us!

While there is no guarantee that Familia has a future with the organization beyond this upcoming season, there also may be no guarantee that Familia makes it through the current season with the Mets should he continue to struggle. As I had previously stated earlier, with the amount of right-handed pitching the Mets contain on their 40-man roster, it may not take much for there to be musical chairs in the bullpen should Familia, Betances, and Gsellman continue to struggle in 2021.

Home / New York Mets News