3 major awards Mets players could win in 2023
The New York Mets have a loaded roster trying to win the World Series in 2023. With all of the talent Billy Eppler has assembled on the roster, there's a very good chance Mets players take home some individual awards as well.
While the World Series is what we all want the Mets to win, it's still cool to see individual players we root for on a daily basis take home awards. Here are three Mets players can win in 2023.
1) Edwin Diaz can win the NL Reliever of the Year award again
If he did it in 2022, why can't he win it again? Edwin Diaz had a monster year as the Mets closer and is back on the richest contract for a reliever. He has lofty expectations with the contract and after the season he just had, but there's no reason to think he can't repeat it.
Diaz had a 1.31 ERA in 61 appearances as he allowed just nine earned runs in 62 innings pitched. He converted 32 of his 35 save opportunities including 22 in a row to finish off the season. He tacked on four holds as Buck Showalter sometimes elected to use him in the eighth inning against the middle of an opposing lineup.
Diaz struck out a whopping 17.1 batters per nine. He had one of the best reliever seasons of all time and in Mets history. With how dominant he's been since his awful debut season with the Mets, and how good the Mets should be in 2023, I expect him to be right in the thick of this race alongside guys like Josh Hader and Devin Williams.
2) The Mets have two former Cy Young winners who can add another trophy to their mantles
In each of the last two offseasons, Billy Eppler has brought in a future Hall of Famer to anchor the Mets rotation. Max Scherzer signed in the 2021 offseason and was really good in his first season as a Met.
Scherzer had a 2.29 ERA but missed time due to two different oblique injuries. He only made 23 starts but was unbelievable when he pitched. At age 38 it's possible he regresses, but we haven't seen it yet. Until that happens, he's going to be right in the Cy Young conversation.
After letting Jacob deGrom walk the Mets signed Justin Verlander to take his spot. While deGrom is the best pitcher on the planet when healthy, Verlander has been healthier of late. Despite missing all of 2021 after undergoing Tommy John Surgery, he's still made more starts since 2021 than deGrom.
Verlander made 28 starts in his return this past season and took home the AL Cy Young. Like Scherzer, Verlander is also older. While that's true, and pitchers usually aren't this good at this advanced age, he literally just won the Cy Young. Expect him to be competing with his teammate for this award.
3) The Mets have three prime Rookie of the Year candidates
Francisco Alvarez is the number one prospect in all of baseball. He appeared in five games down the stretch for the Mets in 2022 and will appear in many more this season. When and where he plays is unknown after the Mets signed Omar Narvaez, but Alvarez still has the chance to make his mark.
If Alvarez gets the at-bats, we all know he's going to hit. If and when that happens, he'll be in the Rookie of the Year discussions.
Brett Baty is another top prospect who debuted down the stretch of this past season with the Mets. If Carlos Correa does end up becoming a Met, Baty will likely be in the minors to open the season or get starts in left field at the big league level. If Correa is not a Met, Baty will have a great shot at getting a majority of the starts at third base.
Regardless, Baty figures to be up with the big league club at some point playing somewhere. He's too good not to. When he's here, he should hit and be in the conversation with Alvarez.
Kodai Senga is probably one of the Rookie of the Year favorites in the National League. He heads to the United States after dominance in Japan. He figures to slot in as the third starter in what should be one of the better rotations in baseball.
If he's anything close to what he was this past season when he posted a 1.89 ERA in 23 starts, the sky is the limit for him and this Mets team. He should be right in the thick of the race.