4 things Mets fans want to see down the stretch

The 2023 season has been a huge failure for the New York Mets. It has been a lost season so far but there is still time for some positives to come out of all this dissapointment.

Here are some things Mets fans need to see down the stretch to feel a little better about the future.

1. NY Mets fans need to see the Baby Mets perform, specifically Brett Baty and Mark Vientos

I will leave Francisco Alvarez out of it since he has shown enough already. At the age of 21, Alvarez already might be one of the best catchers in baseball. He is a clear keeper and big part of the future.

Baty and Vientos are different stories. Neither has distinguished themselves, offensively or defensively.

For Baty, things seem to be getting worse. When he first came up in 2022, the moment didn't seem too big for him. He had quality at-bats and his defense was fine if not spectacular. Even when he was recalled in 2023, he started off decently. The last month or so has been a major struggle, however. Baty's power has completely disappeared and he is making weak contact.

The defense has taken a step back as well. He just hasn't shown much at all to lock him in as a future contributor. It is important for Baty to show enough promising signs that the Mets can pencil him in as the everyday third basemen. As a top prospect coming into the season, that shouldn't be too much to ask.

His struggles have forced the Mets to demote him back to Triple-A. Hopefully time at Syracuse in a low pressure enviornemnt will get him back on track. He should be back with the Mets sometime soon.

Mark Vientos is finally getting a legitmate shot at consistent playing time. He is not making the most of it yet. Vientos needs to put up good numbers offensively because he is completely unplayable defensively. He put up huge numbers at Triple-A, so Vientos definitely has potential as a hitter. It would be nice if he showed some of that potential down the stretch.

At the very least, if he doesn't have a long-term future with the Mets, he could be used as trade bait for pitching.

2. NY Mets need to see if David Peterson or Tylor Megill can contribute in next season's starting rotation

David Peterson and Tylor Megill have been two of the biggest dissapointments for the Mets in 2023. They were being counted on as solid depth but they have been anything but this season.

Peterson in particular was coming off a very solid 2022 and as a former first round pick more is expected of him. Megill has gotten shelled this season and hasn't even given the Mets a chance in games he started.

The Mets have a rotation to fill out for 2024 and right now only Kodai Senga and Jose Quintana are guaranteed a spot. There is room for Peterson and/or Megill to snag a spot in the 2024 rotation. If the Mets are really not going to spend at the top of the free-agent market this off-season they may count on Peterson or Megill for one of those spots.

For that to happen, they need to pitch well down the stretch. Peterson pitched well out of the bullpen in recent weeks, that could be a springboard for him the rest of the season. If he can take the things he learned out of the bullpen and apply them to starting it would be a big bonus for next year's team.

Megill was just recalled from Triple-A, where he made adjustments to his release point that could help improve things for him. These two are going to be given every chance down the stretch to show they can be future contributors, lets hope they can figure it out.

3. NY Mets need to let Ronny Mauricio, Mike Vasil, and Justin Jarvis get their feet wet in the majors

There is no reason not to let the Mets near major league ready prospects get their feet wet down the stretch. It is important to see if any of these young guys have a chance to contribute to the 2024 New York Mets.

It could be argued Mauricio should've already been called up to the big league team, as he spent most of the year killing Triple-A pitching. He has slowed down considerably as of late, with reports saying he is disinterested at Triple-A as he awaits his callup. It sounds like he he might feel left behind, and that frustration is resulting in his poor play.

As the Mets play out the string with guys like Danny Mendick, DJ Stewart, and Rafael Ortega getting playing time, it is time to snap Mauricio out of his malaise and give him his shot at the majors.

There are questions about his defense as playing second base and the outfield is still new to him. There is very little to lose in having him learn at the major league level though. At least Mets fans could have something to look forward to and see a guy who might actually have a future here in the lineup.

Vasil and Jarvis have struggled at Triple-A, but they will be counted on for depth next season. They could play the Peterson/Megill roles from this season, hopefully with better performance. Carlos Carrasco has no future with the Mets and his performance has been awful. The Mets would be better served to see Vasil or Jarvis start in his place.