3 Mets players who've earned an extension with their first half performance

It has been quite the turnaround for the New York Mets in 2024 as the first half of the season comes to a close. After being as low as nine games under .500 at the end of May, New York's record is 49-46 at the midway point of the season and now find themselves in a playoff spot after many thought it was going to be another disappointing season.

Despite the bullpen having its issues, the Mets offense has been one of the best in the National League since the start of June, and the team's starting pitching has also seen quite a turnaround as well. While there have been many contributions from this team, these three players in particular deserve contract extensions from the Mets thanks to their first-half performance.

1. Francisco Alvarez

I think it is safe to say that the Mets have their catcher in Francisco Alvarez. The 22-year-old despite missing nearly six weeks of the season with a torn ligament in his thumb has become one of the leaders on this Mets team. That's why he deserves a nice contract extension from the Mets.

We all have seen how good he can be with his bat on offense as his batting average currently sits at .296 in 137 at-bats, but his defense behind the plate is also something to take note. He's only had two passed balls on his ledger and his fielding percentage has been a very solid .991% and Mets pitchers certainly prefer to throw to him in games that they're pitching in. In games in which Alavarez has played in this year, the Mets have a record of 30-14 and in games in which he has not played in, the Mets have gone a dismal 19-32. So it is safe to say that his presence is certainly felt when he's in the Mets lineup.

After a slow start to his career towards the end of the 2022 season and the beginning of last year, Alvarez has certainly elevated his game. From elite defense behind the plate, and showing that he can be a great slugger on offense for years to come, the Mets should not waste any more time to pay him. Despite missing a fair amount of time on the injured list, his first-half performance is still good enough to get a new contract extension.