3 struggling NY Mets players off to a slow start we should be concerned about

2) Jose Siri

Jose Siri, the 29-year-old outfielder acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays this offseason, arrived with a clear role: elite defense at a budget-friendly price. And on paper, he checked all the boxes. Siri finished last season with 16 Outs Above Average, placing him in the 99th percentile league-wide. His arm strength—topping out at 93.5 mph—ranks in the 97th percentile. Factor in a $2.4 million salary, and it looked like the Mets found a defensive upgrade for a fraction of what they paid Harrison Bader just a year ago.

Of course, no one expected Siri to be an offensive force, but what he's shown so far should raise some concern. His issues with strikeouts and a low batting average were part of the scouting report, but he had offset that with flashes of power—43 home runs across 812 at-bats the past two seasons. He even showed signs of that pop in spring training, hitting three homers and driving in 11 runs in just 42 at-bats.

But now, just over two weeks into the regular season, the bat has gone cold. Siri is hitting .059 with a .318 OPS, one RBI, and five strikeouts in 17 at-bats. When he does get on base, he typically makes it count—he's an efficient runner who scores more often than not. The problem is, he just hasn’t been getting on at all. For a player who already came with offensive question marks, falling below even his modest career norms is hard to ignore. The glove may be Gold Glove-caliber, but if the bat doesn't rebound, it won’t take long for fans—and perhaps the front office—to start asking whether that tradeoff is worth it.