5 early realistic NY Mets starting left fielder options for next year ranked

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The 2023 New York Mets will be in search this offseason for a left fielder. They can go with some internal options at the position or look outside in free agency or via trade.

Left field is a somewhat strange position. It’s not as loaded as it used to be. This has become a spot where some of the weakest defenders will find themselves playing. Many outfielders breaking down will find their way into left field from one of the other outfield spots. There are certainly some exceptions, however, this tends to be a spot lacking superstar players.

No one should expect the Mets to make any significant move at this position. What they could always do is move another player currently on the roster over there. That’s where some of these realistic Mets starting left fielder options for next season come into play. Let’s rank five that make the most sense.

5) NY Mets starting left fielder candidate: Jurickson Profar

Jurickson Profar hung around in free agency for a long time last winter before signing a one-year contract with the Colorado Rockies. He was definitely a candidate to sign with the Mets before the team decided to go with Tommy Pham instead. It was the right choice in retrospect. Profar didn't even make it through the season with the Rockies. A late August DFA put an end to that experiment.

Profar has put together another non-exceptional season even with the aid of Coors Field. He’s a low batting average player with a reasonable OBP. He won’t hit for a ton of power either. He’s a bottom of the order hitter on any roster. The final tally has him slashing .236/.316/.364 with 8 home runs in 472 plate appearances.

Little about Profar’s game is notable at this point. He’s predictable and maybe that’s all the Mets look at this offseason when addressing a hole at the position. Signing Profar is the kind of move that’ll confirm the Mets don’t plan to win the 2024 World Series. He’s a decent platoon player yet not the championship-caliber addition we’d want. Although he has played other positions in the past, left field has been where he has settled in.

4) NY Mets starting left fielder candidate: Brett Baty

Brett Baty moving from third base to left field is a reasonable expectation except for one thing: the Mets haven’t committed to the change. They gave him every opportunity to win the third base job this year. Long slumps at the plate and some questionable defense led to a demotion and a whole lot of questions about exactly where he fits into the team’s future plans. He’s definitely in there, right? A move to left field seems like the next step to take if they want to look at ways to keep Baty around.

Baty has played left field in the minor leagues. When it looked like the team was going to sign Carlos Correa last offseason, a switch to the outfield seemed inevitable. The Mets stuck with him at the hot corner. So far, it hasn’t worked as well as they had hoped.

It would come as a bit of a shock to see the Mets actually move forward with Baty as their planned starting left fielder next year. He’d need to win the job in spring training. By that point, even less thrilling yet more proven options like Profar would likely be unavailable.

Mets fans should still believe Baty has something to offer. Will it be as the team’s left fielder? The organization hasn’t pointed firmly in that direction just yet.

3) NY Mets starting left fielder candidate: Jeff McNeil

Another one of those internal options, Jeff McNeil moving to left field on a more permanent basis is something to consider. It’s not glamorous, but if it means the team has found some faith in Ronny Mauricio at second base, maybe we can accept having such a light-hitting player at a traditionally power-driven spot. After all, Mauricio could help make up for the absence of pop from McNeil’s bat. We just need McNeil to challenge for a batting title to restore some balance.

Regardless of what the Mets decide to do in left field, McNeil will be in the mix for some starts. His defensive versatility is a weapon that must be used. For better but mostly worse reasons, it allowed the team to carry a DH-only player like Daniel Vogelbach on the roster all season.

McNeil can play anywhere. He remains the club’s best second base option, however, if they’re going to use Mauricio as a regular in the lineup, handing him the infield spot and moving McNeil to left makes more sense.

Having McNeil in left field does come with an asterisk. It probably means duties will be shared there. Perhaps even with a guy like Profar or Baty.

2) NY Mets starting left fielder candidate: Adam Duvall

Adam Duvall was one of those free agents the Mets were rumored to have interest in during the offseason. More playing time guaranteed with the Boston Red Sox had him looking elsewhere. He got off to a hot start this year with the Red Sox before an injury sidelined him and stole away much of his season.

Duvall hits the open market again this offseason. With the ability to play some center field, he’s an intriguing addition for the Mets to make. He’d make more sense as their left fielder with Brandon Nimmo remaining in center field. During any lingering injuries for Nimmo, the Mets could always swap the two.

If there is a negative for Duvall it’s his age. He’ll play next year at age 35. Will he start to show signs of aging? He has produced at a high level for the Red Sox this season. The 2021 RBI leader in the National League has done enough to earn himself a starting job with any team with an open spot. The Mets, out in left field, happen to have one.

Duvall might be the best realistic option for the Mets in free agency to fill the left field gap. There is one more choice they should consider.

1) NY Mets starting left fielder candidate: Starling Marte

Starling Marte was a center fielder before coming to the Mets. Now he hardly looks like a right fielder. His ability to steal bases still exists. Tracking down fly balls is a different story. Marte wasn’t the same player this year. Whether it was injury or something else, a move from right field to left field should be under consideration.

Making this change does open the door up to some new possibilities. More natural right fielders could become fits for the Mets. What’s Teoscar Hernandez up to?

Marte played a lot of left field in the past with the Pittsburgh Pirates. It wasn’t because he was heading toward the end of his career as he is now. That’s just where he fit into the club’s plans with Andrew McCutchen and Gregory Polanco making up the rest of the talented threesome.

Choosing to move Marte from right field to left field would be largely dependent on who they have in the outfield mix for next season. A guy like DJ Stewart getting some regular playing time, as outlandish as it would’ve seemed a few weeks ago, is one possibility.

It’s looking like the most realistic left field solution for the Mets is to add at least one outfielder this offseason and toy with their internal options. Having Marte available at the position is at the top of the list. The Mets need power. Right field has better choices in free agency and the trade market.

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