3 burning Mets questions to answer before the 2023 season is over
![Feb 16, 2023; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Edwin Diaz (39) throws a pitch](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_8640,h_4860,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_752,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/3/01h7hzy5akynk9czbngg.jpg)
If you were to tell me that on August 11 that the New York Mets would be sitting with a record of 52-62, I would think you were lying. Especially after this team won 101 last year. But, that's exactly where the 2023 Mets are standing right now in the NL East with the season all but over. This team had so many high expectations after spending so much money during the offseason which included bringing in veteran pitcher and CY Young award winner Justin Verlander to pair him with his former teammate, Max Scherzer.
Now, both Verlander and Scherzer along with many other veteran players who contributed a lot during the Mets playoff run in 2022 are all gone after the team choose to sell at the trading deadline. Despite the Mets deciding to be sellers this year, this team has a whole lot of questions about the rest of this season and beyond. But these three questions are ones that the Mets are going to have to get answers from sooner rather than later.
1. Will Mets closer Edwin Diaz return this season?
This really seemed to derail the Mets season before it even started. Mets All-Star closer Edwin Diaz fresh off signing a five-year, $102 million deal, suffered a freak injury during the World Baseball Classic after celebrating Puerto Rico's win over the Dominican Republic. The injury was supposed to sideline him for eight months which looked like would end his season before he even appeared in a game in 2023. But that may not be the case.
Ever since he had surgery to repair a right patellar tear, he's been making immense progress during his rehab and has not ruled out pitching again this year. But with the Mets out of contention, many are wondering if it's really worth it for him to come back and play meaningless baseball. Now I get that many would feel that way especially since Diaz has rushed back from this injury, if he is indeed healthy, why not let me pitch? It can give the Mets and their fanbase something to be happy about in a loss season and will give them a glimpse of what they will hopefully see next year.
2. Will the Mets call up Ronny Mauricio?
This has been a question on Mets fans mind for a long time, when will we see infielder and top prospect Ronny Mauricio in the major leagues? We have seen all of the baby Mets like Brett Baty, Francisco Alvarez and Mark Vientos make the major leagues and now we are just waiting for Ronny Mauricio.
Now, it is time for the Mets to make the call up as soon as possible. The future of the Mets is not infielder Jonathan Aráuz who is up in the majors right now, so it's time for the Mets to see what they got in Mauricio. He had a great Spring Training while Francisco Lindor and other position players were off playing in the WBC and he's been just as great in the minor leagues this year.
Mauricio is the exact kind of player the Mets need to call up now with a mix of power and a red hot bat they need to learn more about for next season. Again, I get that the Mets are nowhere near contention, but this is your future so who cares where the Mets are in the standings? If I'm the Mets and if you want to give something for your fans to be happy about, give Ronny Mauricio the call-up and have him play the last several weeks of the regular season.
3. Can Mets infielder Mark Vientos prove he belongs in the majors?
With all of the moves the Mets made at the deadline, it gave a lot of young players a chance to play and prove that they can contribute to the Mets right now and in the future. And one of those players is infielder Mark Vientos.
It has been a bit of a rocky start to his young career, and now that it looks like he will be here for the rest of the season, now is the time for Vientos to prove that he can be the top player the Mets think he can be. In his limited action this season, he's only batted .198 with just two home runs and nine runs batted in. Also, in his 96 at-bats, he's struck out 32 times which is something I think the Mets should be worried about. Also, his defense has not been as sharp, in particular at third base having already committed two errors this season when he was playing at the hot corner.
These last several weeks for Vientos are going to be important for him. They will be especially important since his fellow third baseman and teammate, Brett Baty was just recently demoted back to the minors due to some of his recent struggles. Vientos should capitalize on this opportunity with him now most likely going to play more third base with Baty back in Syracuse. If he wants to be in the major leagues for the rest of this season and into the next, he needs to play much better and finish off this season on a high note.
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