2 Mets who playing above their contract value, 2 who still need to earn their money

Owners of the largest payroll in the history of baseball, the New York Mets have an exorbitant amount of money spread across their roster. The average payroll in the MLB is right around $160 million; the Mets match that with just their top five players.

Being a member of the most expensive team in the MLB comes with an inherent expectation to perform. Steve Cohen dove deep into the luxury tax with the goals of winning a World Series and nothing less. Through the first month of the season, we are starting to see which players he and Billy Eppler spent their money on wisely, and who still needs to produce to make their contracts worth the cost.

Tommy Pham has played above his contract value for the NY Mets

In an offseason filled with new acquisitions, there was arguably none that Mets fans disliked more than the Tommy Pham signing.

After his fantasy football fiasco from last season and stories of his negative impact in a locker room, some Mets fans were not pleased when the team signed him to a 1 year, $6 million contract. After hitting .156 in Spring Training, those rumblings from upset fans only grew louder.

However, it looks like Tommy Pham was exactly the fourth outfielder the Mets have needed. Pham has done everything required of him; he has hit left handed pitching well, provided quality defense, and stolen some bases. With his new corrective lenses allowing him to see the ball better, Pham is batting .281, one of the highest marks on the team.

At only $6 million, Pham has been a steal for the Mets thus far. He has filled in the fourth outfielder role remarkably, covering for injuries and lefty matchups and doing it well. If he is able to keep up this level of production all season, Pham's contract could end up being one of the most valuable on the roster.

Adam Ottavino has played above his contract value for the NY Mets

Following a rough campaign with the Boston Red Sox, the Mets took a chance on Adam Ottavino in 2022 and were instantly rewarded. Ottavino excelled in his new role, putting up a 2.06 ERA as the primary setup man for Edwin Diaz. The Mets were quick to sign him this offseason, hopeful that he would continue his dominance into the new season.

Not only is Ottavino pitching well again for the Mets, he is actually pitching better than he did last season. Through his first seven appearances, he has allowed just one run and recorded eight strikeouts. While he is still primarily slotted for the 8th inning, he has also gotten some looks in the closer role as well, occasionally switching roles with David Robertson.

His contract for this season was initially reported to be for 1 year and $7.5 million, which is a fair deal for an elite bullpen arm. However, $4 million of that contract is deferred through 2035, meaning that Ottavino is technically only making $3.5 million this season. He also has a player option for 2024 should he decide to opt in.

At such a low cost, Adam Ottavino is proving to be one of the best value set-up men across the entire league. His performance has been even more important due to the loss of Edwin Diaz, and the Mets will need him to continue his stellar play with a depleted bullpen, especially come playoff time.

Max Scherzer has work to do to play up to his contract for the NY Mets

The highest salary on the Mets, Max Scherzer signed with the team in 2022 and was instantly one of the biggest free agent splashes the team has ever made. Now in the last year of his deal, Scherzer is making just above $43 million, making him and teammate Justin Verlander the two highest paid players in the sport.

Scherzer has not been a bad pitcher this season by any stretch of the imagination. He pitched five scoreless innings against an impressive San Diego Padres lineup, and his velocity is almost the same as last season.

However, when you make more money playing baseball than anybody on the planet, fans expect to see better than a 4.41 ERA. Scherzer has had trouble with his command, going deep into counts frequently. Despite throwing above 90 pitches in every appearance, Scherzer has yet to take a start into the sixth inning.

"Mad Max" has been good for the Mets this season, but for a man making almost as much as the Oakland A's, fans have come to expect more than just good. With news of Scherzer pushing back a start due to back soreness, his 2023 hasn't gotten off to the start that anybody in the organization could have envisioned. Between his slow start and Verlander's lack of a start in general, the Mets top two pitchers have to perform if they want to live up to their massive $43 million contracts.