5 NY Mets roster additions every fan should have on their holiday wish list

4) Finding the right power designated hitter

The New York Mets have struggled to find a consistent offensive force at the designated hitter position in recent seasons. To address this issue and bolster their lineup for the upcoming season, the team should prioritize acquiring a power-hitting designated hitter through free agency or trade.

At this point, Starling Marte looks like the hitter who will see the most time at the DH spot after the signing of Juan Soto to play in right field and because of his injury history. Marte is in the final year of his contract with the Mets and looks like an important trade piece this offseason as they look to bolster other positions.

In 2021-2024, the Mets' DH position is the seventh-worst in the league in total offensive production as measured by wRC+. Over this same period, DHs who have come through the Mets' lineup have accumulated the fourth-worst home run total and eighth-worst run production.

In the definition of an ideal designated hitter, Joc Pederson looks like the answer for the Mets' lineup. A left-handed power hitter, he would help balance the Mets' roster even more and would form a good platoon at the position with various combinations between Starling Marte (if he remains with the team), Francisco Alvarez (when he rests at catcher position) or Mark Vientos himself.

Pederson is a consistent power hitter with a hard hit contact average over the past three seasons above 50%, with an improvement in his on-base ability thanks to a BB% ratio over the past two seasons, well above his career average, and a decrease in his ground ball hits. Additionally, Pederson is a fastball killer, hitting a .291 batting average and an exceptional .602 slugging percentage.