It’s not always the best team that wins a championship in sports. Nobody has a better edge than the healthiest ball club. Many New York Mets seasons have been spoiled by injuries. Going without Edwin Diaz for all of 2023 is one of those examples.
In 2024, the Mets have been more fortunate than not when it comes to the health of their players. However, in these four cases, dodging the injury bug could have completely altered their season for the better.
1) Kodai Senga
Losing your best pitcher for all but one shortened start is sure to hold your team back. The Mets were without Kodai Senga for the entirety of spring training only for him to come back and win a game for them versus the Atlanta Braves on July 26. He exited early, with a brand new injury, and turned what looked like a good start to his sophomore season into a lost campaign.
Imagine a healthy Senga on the Mets this season. The presence itself completely shifts who they are. They’d need to have a six-man rotation throughout the year which impacts everyone involved. Does Jose Quintana benefit from the extra rest? Are we stuck with an inferior product in the rotation for the sake of giving Senga his needed bonus day off from the mound?
There remains a slim hope of Senga returning at the very end of the season or possibly the playoffs if the Mets are able to get there. Considering how long it took him to come back from his first IL stint, we shouldn’t expect him back at all in 2024. As a result, the Mets have had the big question mark in their rotation as to who the ace is. One candidate suffered a pretty big injury himself.