NY Mets Roster: 3 depth piece additions that backfired in 2021

Depth. Depth. Depth. We say it every offseason. Every preseason. Every day in the middle of the season. Depth is an important part of any organization’s success. The New York Mets just didn’t have enough of it in 2021.

It’s not completely their fault. They did try to build upon what they already had in-house. The team went out last offseason and made numerous additions to survive injury.

Unfortunately, many of those guys they brought in got hurt or simply underperformed. These three additions from last winter were supposed to help the team survive catastrophe. Instead, their season became quite forgettable.

Mets pitcher Joey Lucchesi went down with an injury right as he was heating up

Remember when Joey Lucchesi was the depth addition everyone was raving about? Well, not everyone. But his youth mixed with some nice upside made him a piece many Mets fans were eager to see take the mound in 2021 in some capacity.

Lucchesi ended up making the Opening Day roster in part because of an injury to Carlos Carrasco. Used in an unusual way, Lucchesi never went beyond 4 innings until June when things started to pick up for him. Lucchesi made three starts that month in three losing efforts for his club yet there was plenty of promise.

Sadly, his June 18 start versus the Washington Nationals was the last time he would take the hill. After several promising yet short outings as a starter, Lucchesi’s 2021 came to an end with Tommy John Surgery.

We won’t see him back on the mound for the Mets again until at least 2023. His role with the team, by then, is impossible to know. First is a safe and healthy recovery. Second is finding his way back into prominence.