5 NY Mets players who need to make the most of any playing time they get in 2023

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The New York Mets have punted on 2023. That much is clear. They traded away not only the upcoming free agents, but also both Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. The end of this season will be ugly, but there're still important things to look out for.

The Mets waving the white flag on 2023 gives opportunities for those to play who might not have had a shot. We know that players like Brandon Nimmo, Francisco Lindor, and Kodai Senga will be in Mets uniforms in 2024, but there're several other players with so much to play for.

Whether it's young prospects or veterans hoping for one last shot with the Mets, these five players must make the most of the added playing time they're going to get in 2023. These players won't lead to many wins, but solid individual performances can land them a spot with the 2024 Mets or at least on another team.

1) David Peterson needs to make the most of his latest chance in the NY Mets rotation

It feels like David Peterson has gotten thousands of chances in the Mets rotation, yet he's never stuck. When he's pitching well, the Mets have five other good starters to bump him from the rotation. When there's an opening, he seems to fold under the pressure.

Peterson wasn't even supposed to open the season in the Mets rotation. He was the team's sixth starter, much like last season, but was pressed into action when Justin Verlander and Jose Quintana landed on the IL. It's safe to say Peterson did not make the most of his opportunity.

The southpaw struggled mightily, posting a 8.08 ERA in his first eight starts of the season. He allowed at least four runs in all but two of those outings, and completed six innings just once. The Mets were 1-7 in those starts, as Peterson was definitely a reason the team started out slowly. The southpaw was sent down after allowing six runs in five innings against the lowly Nationals.

He came back in late-June as the Mets needed a spot-starter and he pitched great, delivering six scoreless frames against the Brewers. Peterson pitched well in the three starts he made as his 2.35 ERA would dictate, but he was still moved to the bullpen. After a rough start to that role, Peterson didn't allow a run in any of his final three outings. Now that Verlander and Scherzer are gone, Peterson took one of the vacant rotation spots.

The left-hander pitched pretty well in his first start against the Orioles, delivering three scoreless frames, but walks remained a problem as he issued three free-passes. Peterson won't go deep for now as he stretches out, but once he's ready to go, he needs to pitch well. If he does, he might earn himself a spot in the 2024 roster in some capacity.

2) NY Mets reliever Drew Smith needs to pitch well to earn a spot in the 2024 bullpen

Due to the Mets inability to develop virtually any relievers, Drew Smith has remained a key piece of the bullpen puzzle for years. He's not quite a set-up man, but with Edwin Diaz's injury Smith did find himself in some high-leverage spots this season. His first 16 outings went well, as he had a 1.88 ERA in 14.1 innings pitched with seven holds and one save, but things went downhill for Drew much like last season.

Smith had a 7.02 ERA in his next 19 outings and 16.2 innings pitched. He allowed four home runs in that stretch after not allowing any in his first 16 appearances. It was just a nightmare stretch for Smith who got busted for sticky stuff in the middle of it.

He's done better at limiting home runs after having a very difficult time doing that last year, but Smith's walk-rate has spiked from 8.0% last season to 11.1% this season. He needs to just trust his fastball which opponents are .157 against with a .199 xBA.

Smith has pitched well of late, delivering seven consecutive scoreless innings. With David Robertson gone and Diaz still out, Smith is their third-best reliever. He'll be used plenty, often in big spots. If he pitches well, he'll have his spot in the 2024 bullpen on lock. If he doesn't, it becomes a lot harder to justify a sixth year of an annoyingly inconsistent reliever.

3) NY Mets infielder Mark Vientos needs to prove he can hit MLB pitching with his consistent at-bats

Mets fans have spent a majority of the season clamoring for Mark Vientos to get regular at-bats out of the DH spot over Daniel Vogelbach. Vientos had unbelievable numbers in AAA in each of the last two years, yet the Mets refused to play him at the MLB level or give him that opportunity on another team via trade.

Now that the Mets have waved the white flag on 2023, Vientos is getting his first crack at every day at-bats. He started five of the six games on the road trip, and started the Mets first game back. He started one game at third base, one at first, and the rest at DH. I expect Vientos to have some appearances in the field, but I really only care about his bat, as his glove likely isn't good enough to play anywhere anyway.

So far with this everyday playing time, Vientos hasn't done much. He has just three hits in 23 at-bats with seven strikeouts since the trade deadline. A six-game sample size doesn't mean much, but if Vientos doesn't do much over the next couple of month it becomes very hard to not start him in the minors once again.

With his limitations in the field, Vientos must hit to be a MLB player. It's really that simple. This is his chance to prove he can do that.

4) NY Mets pitcher Tylor Megill needs to prove he can get anybody out

Tylor Megill has had an awfully similar year to Peterson. He's a guy who was not expected to be in the Opening Day rotation, but was forced into it thanks to the injuries to Quintana and Verlander. Megill lasted a little longer and his struggles weren't quite as pronounced as Peterson's, but he did not pitch well to begin his season.

The right-hander posted a 5.17 ERA in his first 15 starts of the season. He pitched pretty well in April, but even then, his 3.96 ERA was met with a 5.91 FIP. Megill had a ton of trouble simply throwing strikes, as he walked multiple batters in 12 of his 15 starts. For reference, he walked multiple players in an outing 12 times in his first two seasons. He went from a guy with strong command to no command. His walk rate went from 6.9% entering this season to 11.1% in 2023.

After struggling in AAA, the Mets brought Megill back to the rotation after the Verlander and Scherzer trades. This was more about needing an arm up than it was about Megill earning the opportunity. He did a better job limiting walks in his first start back, but he still allowed five runs in 4.2 innings in Baltimore.

The 28-year-old has a chance to show that he can start or at the very least pitch at this level. If he fails to do so, he could easily be in the minors to begin 2024.

5) NY Mets reliever Grant Hartwig has a chance to solidify himself in future plans

In a season full of disappointment, Grant Hartwig has been one of the few bright spots for this Mets team. He came up with the Mets bullpen struggling mightily and has pitched decently well. He allowed just one run in his first eight appearances and 11.2 innings pitched.

Things haven't gone quite as swimmingly for Hartwig of late, as he's allowed ten runs (seven earned) in his last seven appearances and 8.1 innings pitched. He's allowed a run in five of his last seven outings. Not great.

With the Mets bullpen decimated in large part due to the Robertson and Dominic Leone deals, Hartwig should get a ton of chances to pitch out of the Mets bullpen.

With the Mets having very little when it comes to homegrown relievers, Hartwig has a legitimate shot at being part of the Mets future plans. The 2024 bullpen only has Edwin Diaz as a guarantee to be a part of it, (even if Brooks Raley and Adam Ottavino likely figure into the plans). Hartwig has a huge opportunity here over the next couple of months and should be a guy Mets fans pay close attention to.

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