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2 reasons the Mets will win the NL East, and 1 why they won’t
With Spring Training officially underway, the New York Mets look to build upon their 101 wins from last season. This time they will try to not only make the playoffs for a 2nd consecutive year but do so while winning the division.
It was a tough pill to swallow but unfortunately, we will always be reminded of leading the division for an entire season only to lose it to the rival Atlanta Braves in the final week.
Fending off the Braves won’t be the only task because they will also have to contend with the defending National League Champions. Yes, those pesky Philadelphia Phillies will also be trying to win the division after surprising the baseball world with an amazing run from Wild Card to the Word Series.
It won’t be easy, but these Mets should be seasoned enough to be up for the challenge. With a revamped rotation, returning stars, and a possible injection of youth from the minors, there are reasons to be optimistic and think Citi Field could see a division banner hoisted in 2023.
1) The Mets bullpen is strong on the mound as it looks on paper
The Mets bullpen which had its moments last season was mostly a strength due to a dominant performance from their closer Edwin Díaz. He was definitely the best reliever/closer in baseball and it earned him a five-year deal to stay in Queens.
Also returning is Adam Ottavino who quietly had a great season. You sprinkle in the additions of lefty Brooks Raley and veteran reliever David Robertson, and you have a solid back end of a bullpen.
I have been wanting Robertson for this bullpen since last year’s trade deadline. He’s been a solid reliever his whole career but most importantly he has pitched under the bright lights of New York before, winning a World Series with the Yankees in 2009.
We will see some battles to fill out the final spots in the bullpen, but that is a good thing. You can never have enough bullpen arms and that will be a significant relief to the starting staff which has seen some significant changes including the additions of another forty-year-old and a Japanese import getting set to make his major league debut.
If these relievers play up to the back end of their cards and are as good as they sound on paper then I have no doubt the Mets will be in a great position to win the division.
2) Francisco Álvarez and Brett Baty make an impact
Remember when the Braves called up Michael Harris II and Vaughn Grissom during last season? Remember how important they were in helping the Braves go on an unprecedented run to a division title?
I would like to see the same out of Francisco Álvarez and Brett Baty for the Mets.
Now it doesn’t have to happen right out of the gate. As a matter of fact, I think both start the year in the minors. How long they will stay there is a question for another day. However, I do see both coming up at some point and staying with the club for the rest of the year.
If I had to put my finger on it, I think Baty gets called up first. There may be a more straightforward path for him especially if Eduardo Escobar struggles as he did for most of last season. Plus, Baty is very versatile. He can play 3B and the OF which is something I know manager Buck Showalter loves.
Álvarez is in a different situation. With the Mets signing Omar Narváez to go along with Tomás Nido, the path is just a little harder to break through. That is ok though because Álvarez could use some seasoning in AAA. He will need to get his reps in before he starts catching the two aces of this staff.
The only way I see Álvarez making the roster out of the gate is if he has a monster spring like Pete Alonso did in 2019 where the Mets had literally no choice but to bring him up north.
I think both start in the minors but make their way up to the big league club at some point in the year. When they do come up here and if they produce like the Braves kids did last season then they can help the Mets win a division too.
Even with all this optimism surrounding a possible division title, there is a reason to be cautious that they might not win one.
3) The Mets co-aces will show their age
How amazing is it that we are going to see two Hall of Fame pitchers at the top of our rotation? I know every Mets fan is psyched. Heck, I’m even psyched, but I am also cautious.
Both Max Scherzer and newly acquired Justin Verlander are close to 40 years old and that does bring along with it some cause for concern. Now I know there are players who have played well past their age but it doesn’t always work out for everyone.
Verlander is two years removed from Tommy John surgery so his elbow is brand new but could he fall victim to a different injury, kind of like what happened to Scherzer?
Scherzer dealt with oblique issues and missed part of the season. When he came back he wasn’t his dominant self like he was at the start. You can definitely tell when he came up short in the two biggest games of the season.
This was the main reason I worried about bringing another aging pitcher on the team. These guys aren’t just the back end of the rotation guys. They are leading this staff!
Both need to be healthy if this team has any shot at the division because if not, you can pretty much hand the division over to the Braves or Phillies.
dark. Next. Why Tommy Pham and Darin Ruf could both be on the Opening Day roster