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Way too early 2025 Mets Opening Day roster prediction

By JOSUE DE JESUS |
Championship Series - New York Mets v Los Angeles Dodgers - Game 6
Championship Series - New York Mets v Los Angeles Dodgers - Game 6 / Kevork Djansezian/GettyImages
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Offseason expectations for the New York Mets are at their highest point in years following their run to the postseason in 2024. The organization will have to be smart, cautious, and resourceful to make the best decisions at times. The team has financial flexibility on its roster with the departure of contractual commitments with Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, among other names.

The team has multiple areas of work where the starting rotation seems to be the most needed. The first base and the search for Juan Soto are relevant points for the team. They also need to improve a bullpen that was marked by a lack of control and command last season. At the same time, they must leave room to play for their young and promising players.

Mets starting rotation

  1. Kodai Senga
  2. Sean Manaea
  3. Luis Severino
  4. Walker Buehler
  5. David Peterson

The strategy used last offseason turned out to be good for the Mets organization, managing to get pitchers with potential at low cost and on short-term contracts. The cases of Sean Manaea and Luis Severino have the disadvantage in their profile of having received a qualified offer, which reduces their market after the teams' opposition to giving up a draft pick compensation, especially if it is not for an elite player in his category. , that would make negotiations with these pitchers even easier for the Mets who would end up on the team for the 2025 season and beyond in the short term.

Walker Buehler's case is very similar to Luis Severino's last offseason. A pitcher coming off a down year with good velocity on his fastball but with location problems who would have to make adjustments to improve but who could sign for a one-year contract and less than $15 million to try to restore his value.

Finally, David Peterson would complete that rotation after a formidable job in the final stretch of the regular season and postseason. With this, the Mets would achieve a rotation with potential without having to incur excessive expenses in an era in MLB where betting on pitchers on long-term contracts is risky.

Mets bullpen

  • Edwin Diaz
  • Kirby Yates
  • Ryne Stanek
  • Reed Garrett
  • Dedniel Nuñez
  • Dylan Covey
  • Jalen Beeks
  • José Buttó

The Mets bullpen is an area in need of improvement after a 2024 season with command problems, being one of the staff with the highest proportion of walks awarded in MLB. Likewise, the team must address the issue of having a left-handed pitcher who can handle situational moments of the game, something the team needed in the last postseason.

Ryne Stanek would return to the team after a good run since he was acquired at the trade deadline to help as a bridge for Edwin Diaz. Complementing that part of high-leverage situation is veteran Kirby Yates who is coming off a season where he managed to pitch in 61 games, posting a microscopic ERA of 1.17, with a 35.9% strikeout percentage and limiting the opposition to a wOBA of just .118, simply elite. The veteran, due to his age, could sign a one-season contract and would be ideal as the team's setup man.

Left-handed Jalen Beeks would be added to the bullpen, coming off a season of 70 innings pitched and a 4.50 ERA. Beeks is not a flame thrower pitcher but he has a high capacity to induce weak contact and his splits show his effectiveness against left-handed batters who hit him for an average of .202 and a slugging percentage of just .287. An advantage in Beeks' profile is that he could sign a short contract with a minor league option giving the team roster flexibility.

Complementing the roster are the familiar faces of Reed Garrett, José Buttó, and Dedniel Nuñez who showed good stuff during his time with the team. This bullpen would have a better performance with three relevant figures to be used in high-leverage situations and a general improvement in low and medium-leverage situations.

Mets 2025 lineup

  1. Francisco Lindor - SS
  2. Juan Soto - LF
  3. Mark Vientos - 3B
  4. Brandon Nimmo - CF
  5. Paul Goldschmidt - 1B
  6. Jesse Winker - DH
  7. Starling Marte - RF
  8. Francisco Álvarez - C
  9. Luisangel Acuña - 2B

Bench

  • José Iglesias - IF
  • Tyrone Taylor - OF
  • Ronny Mauricio - 2B/3B
  • Luis Torrens - C

The biggest news of the offseason will be the signing of Juan Soto with the New York Mets. It seems that the stars aligned for it to coincide at this time, just after the Mets demonstrated that they are a competitive team, with a future in their farm system and with enough money to acquire the best left-handed hitter in baseball today.

In addition to Soto, the Mets would have to look for an option to stabilize the first base where Mark Vientos could be the starter but at the end of the day the Mets will use the strategy of looking for a veteran figure, in a one-year contract in order to grant the position to a player with the experience for a team seeking the world series. In this sense, Paul Goldschmidt emerges as a good option, a player who comes from a down year but who has a good second half, with plenty of experience in MLB, good defense in the position and an above average discipline that would bring a balance to the lineup and roster, and may also alternate in the designated hitter position.

In other moves Jesse Winker looks like an ideal option for the team at the DH position against right-handed pitchers and with occasional appearances in the outfield. Likewise, Starling Marte could alternate in the DH position with Winker guaranteeing health protection and using Tyrone Taylor at CF, Brandon Nimmo at LF and Juan Soto at RF.

Likewise, after David Stearns' comments about letting his young players play, an infusion into the lineup with Luisangel Acuña at 2B would be ideal after what was demonstrated in the final stretch of the regular season mixing with other players from the team's bench such as Ronny Mauricio who could also play 3B when Vientos plays 1B and Jose Iglesias who would play the team's infielder role providing experience, good contact at the plate and excellent defense. It should be taken into account that in this prediction scenario, Jeff McNeil would not be on the team and would be traded this offseason, with the Seattle Mariners being the best fit between both teams.

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