MLB Network ranks the Mets lineup at number 1

Do the New York Mets have the best starting lineup in baseball? According to MLB Network’s Anthony Castrovince, yes!

So far the Mets have gone from Eduardo Escobar to Carlos Correa at third base and brought in Omar Narvaez to become the new catcher. They have better DH options when Daniel Vogelbach doesn’t start. But is this lineup now the best in the game?

The Mets starting lineup is good but it’s not the best in baseball

This is a team that was one-hit to end the 2022 season. With only two differences in the starting nine, it’s hard to put them ahead of many of these teams listed behind them.

The San Diego Padres being at number two is just as suspicious. Yes, they have some awesome hitters. Their lineup has some even bigger holes in it. To see the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies this low seems wrong, but I get it. The Cleveland Guardians, meanwhile, have only brought in Josh Bell as a significant upgrade. He doesn’t give them a top 10 lineup.

I suppose the Mets have the potential to have a legitimate best lineup in the sport with one change. Either swapping the catcher for a much better hitter or having a 30+ home run guy as the DH would make Castrovince’s list a lot more credible.

What makes the Mets such a strong team right now is their top 10 lineup and maybe number one pitching staff. The Mets starters and the back of their bullpen outweighs what other teams have more heavily. The lineup has a couple of questions. The addition of Correa changed my opinion on it completely, but it doesn’t move them ahead of some of these other teams ranked behind them.

A single list won’t define who the Mets are or how they finish. You already know that. We’ve seen them overcome odds plenty. We’ve also wept when they came up short.

The best argument to say the Mets have the best lineup in the sport is that there is no glaring hole. Other clubs had guys underperform in a major way last season or suffer through long injuries. The Mets will have one of the better lineups in baseball this year. On paper, it just doesn’t feel like number one.