5 Mets stories we can look forward to unfolding this summer

Summer is not quite officially here but with schools ending all around the country and teenage skateboarders practically taking over the country in front of convenience stores nationwide, it very well feels like it. Wouldn’t you know, the New York Mets are also playing some meaningful baseball games. Baseball is the sport of the summer and there’s plenty to look forward.

For the Mets, it’s these five stories we can look forward to unfolding as we blast our air conditioning and douse ourselves in sunscreen.

1) Mets pitching duo of Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer going back-to-back

The first time Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer pitch on back-to-back days will be a national holiday for Mets fans. deGrom has been out all year and Scherzer has missed significant time already. Both are expected to make a full recovery. At some point, the Mets will have them both back on the roster and possibly taking the mound on consecutive days.

Even if the rotation lines up another way, having two of the best pitchers in baseball in the rotation is a story Mets fans have eagerly awaited all 2022-year-long. The healthy arms they have put on the hill every five days have been effective but nothing compares to what deGrom and Scherzer can accomplish.

Neither pitcher will be able to contend for a Cy Young because of the amount of time missed. But with the pair already owning several of those “best pitcher” awards, who really cares? This is about winning a championship.

The Mets may never have a duo like these two in the rotation ever again. Every start they make will be a memorable one.

2) Pete Alonso’s chase for the first MVP in Mets history

The Mets are one of three teams to never have an MVP. Is this the year it finally happens? First baseman Pete Alonso seems to be the early contender to make it happen. He hits home runs, drives in runs, and has a likable personality that voters may lean toward as a tie-breaker.

A few things will need to happen for Alonso to secure the National League MVP. He’ll need to be right there at the top in home runs and RBI and do it with some superb slash numbers. He can’t lead the league in home runs and RBI and hit just .260. He needs to be much better. Early indications suggestion he could accomplish this.

Alonso’s improved defense won’t help his case much but it could end up as a factor in some areas. A far bigger help will be where the Mets finish in the standings. Although a playoff berth doesn’t always matter in the MVP voting, it probably will this year unless Alonso has such eye-catching numbers that there is no way he can be denied.

If he does come up short, it’ll still be a nice run to watch on as Alonso pleads his case with some mammoth home runs, clutch base hits, and walk-off celebrations all summer long.

4) How future Mets free agents perform in their walk years

The Mets have a lot of free agents at the end of this season. Notably, Jacob deGrom has already said he will opt-out of his deal. Then there’s center fielder Brandon Nimmo and closer Edwin Diaz at the top of the class. Others are potentially headed out of New York when the season is through.

Players in walk years are watched a little more closely. How they perform will factor a lot into where they end up in the following season. Last year, Mets fans watched on as Michael Conforto saw his free agent stock go into a bear market. This year, with a championship more seriously on the line, they’ll hope the same doesn’t happen with key players like Nimmo and Diaz.

The place where the Mets have the most free agents is in the bullpen. Trevor May, Seth Lugo, Trevor Williams, and a few others are set to hit the open market after this season is over. It’s from this group we should expect fewer players to return given how often relief pitchers tend to change teams.

Also worth watching, Chris Bassitt has a mutual option for 2023 which could pay him $19 million. If he performs like an ace, he’d probably waive it. If he struggles mightily, the Mets will want to stay away. A performance closer to the middle would have the two sides giving it another go.

5) How far the front office goes to building a contender

The Mets front office was criticized last summer because of how little they did at the deadline. They brought in Javier Baez as their big bat, Trevor Williams as their pitching depth piece, and Rich Hill to solve a rotation issue. It wasn’t a bad trade deadline for the Mets; it just wasn’t nearly enough for what they needed.

This year, the Mets may need even less although it’s too soon to really tell which market they’ll be shopping in. A single strained oblique can completely change which aisle they shop in. The Mets will be buying. How far are they willing to go?

All signs point to the Mets having a willingness to go above and beyond what other teams will do. There’s a lot invested in the current roster. What good is it if the season ends after 162 games?

Expect a limit as to how far the Mets will go in terms of which prospects they will or won’t give up. They hoped to build the best roster they could in the offseason. In my opinion, they were successful. Outside of injuries, there are few holes they may need to fill.

Late July and early August centers on the MLB trade deadline. Thereafter, a lot of talk will involve whether or not the team did enough and how the new players are performing. It’s an annual storyline to watch. This year, fans are hoping for a happier ending.