Overreacting to these 3 spring training Mets performances

2) NY Mets spring training overreaction: Eduardo Escobar is about to have a bad season

Sandwiched between his WBC performance that wasn’t all that productive either, Mets third baseman Eduardo Escobar struggled mightily this spring. In 39 trips to the plate he slashed .118/.205/.147. For a guy whose job was already on the line, it wasn’t the most promising of beginnings to a new year.

Escobar was lapped by Brett Baty this spring. Because the Mets front office tends to behave timidly and hold back its prospects, there was never any real chance for Baty to win the starting third base gig. It’s going to be Escobar at the hot corner to begin the year—bad spring or not.

A reasonable reaction could be the expectation of Escobar starting off slowly again this season. It’s not a very positive expectation. His presence on the roster might not be in much jeopardy. The starting lineup is a completely different story.

Escobar is one member of the Mets who could quickly become the roster’s “new Darin Ruf.” His strong finish last season won over a couple of fans. Unfortunately, he dragged his feet for most of the season.

Not much of what Escobar did will matter when games begin to count. He’s a bit of a wild card. I could see everything from a big start to a massive slump. As reactive as it is, something about his miserable spring has me thinking it’ll be slow.

3) NY Mets spring training overreaction: David Peterson has a permanent spot in the rotation

David Peterson had an awesome spring for the Mets and will find himself in the rotation to start the year. The injury to Jose Quintana combined with 12 shutout innings of one-hit ball all added up to him wiggling his way onto the Opening Day roster.

Peterson’s spring was dominant when it came to missing bats. He struck out 13 in his 12 innings of work spanning four appearances. He did, however, walk 8 batters. Thinking he’ll be Nolan Ryan this year is the ultimate overreaction. Mets fans have been tamer with him. They think he could be really good, but to think he has fully won his spot in the rotation is a leap too far.

From the minor leagues, Tylor Megill will shoot to outperform Peterson. And once Quintana is healthy, Peterson could become a victim of a roster crunch regardless of his performance. 

The bigger picture Peterson can look at is where he fits beyond the 2023 season. He’s a candidate to be an automatic starter in next season’s rotation. He has a long way to go to assure Billy Eppler he’s a suitable choice. At 15-13 with a 4.26 ERA in his career, Peterson hasn’t done quite enough. His 101 ERA+ last season suggests he was only slightly above average. He’ll need to take advantage of these early starts. A couple dozen more shutout innings will turn any overtly positive overreaction into a more sensible take.