3 Mets players we should lower the bar for in 2023

2) The NY Mets should expect a less from Tylor Megill

Tylor Megill began the 2022 season in the starting rotation. In fact, in case you forgot, he started on Opening Day for the Mets. An injury late in spring forced Jacob deGrom to the IL. Rather than try to rush Max Scherzer out without the expected days of rest, Buck Showalter turned to Megill for help.

Megill will be a candidate to do something similar this year in case of injury alongside David Peterson. Through his first 137 innings of work, Megill has shown there is a ton of talent in his arm. However, the results just haven’t shown.

Megill is now 8-8 with a 4.73 ERA. After a couple of strong starts to the 2022 season, Megill got roughed up and his numbers were never able to recover. He was out for most of the year before returning in a bullpen role. The Mets can choose to use him in relief again this season. With minor league options available, it might be wiser to keep him stretched out for the occasional start.

For a brief time, it looked like Megill was headed toward a permanent spot in the rotation. His sudden rise in 2021 made everyone a fan. The numbers tell us he might not be much more than a back-of-the-rotation guy.

There is time and hope Megill can figure things out and stay healthy this coming year. When he does embark on the journey known as the 2023 season, he’ll do so with the bar lowered.

3) The NY Mets don’t need Brett Baty to save the offense in 2023

Brett Baty was the guy who got the promotion last year when the Mets needed a bat. Unfortunately, an injury sidelined him after only 11 games. He hit a pair of home runs in those 42 trips to the plate he received. Next is to win some starts at third base while maybe also mastering left field along the way.

The arrival of Correa would have pushed Baty away from being one of the best third base prospects in the sport to the future left fielder in Flushing. The big difference with Correa not coming to the Mets is the team will be more likely to have him on the Opening Day roster.

Baty is merely an unlikely contender for the Mets Opening Day roster as an outfield option but could be an infielder for them with the expectation he shares time with Escobar. Baty needs to be somewhere that can give him consistent at-bats. If it’s Triple-A, that’s fine to start the year. We lower the bar for him now simply because it was temporarily raised when he was promoted last year.

Baty shouldn’t get used to being able to easily stop over the expectations. By 2024, he needs to be playing a lot. We’ll have our patience with him in 2023. He doesn’t need to save the offense this year. Any contributions he can make will be welcomed. There’s always the trade deadline to address third base if neither he nor Escobar work out.