5 predictions for the Mets with 100 games left in the 2023 season

2) NY Mets prediction for the final 100 games: Francisco Lindor fails to break out of his funk

A year-long funk for Francisco Lindor is something the Mets may be dealing with. Unlike 2021 when they had to suffer through it, this year’s club actually has some guys producing at a high level. Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil are pretty much doing what is expected of them. The rise of Francisco Alvarez and Brett Baty should also have us confident the Mets offense won’t fully sleep through the last 100 games of the season.

This prediction should include a note that Lindor will continue to hit home runs, drive in runs, and do it all while batting around .230 at best. Not all predictions are fun ones. Something about his performance through the first 62 games of the year has me convinced this will be a near-repeat of 2021.

Lindor slashed .230/.322/.412 for the Mets that season while hitting 20 home runs and driving in 63. This came in 125 total games due to an IL stint. As long as he stays healthy, he should surpass those totals even if he never does raise his batting average.

How good can the Mets possibly be if their star shortstop doesn’t live up to expectations? Smart trade deadline moves could be the difference.

3) NY Mets prediction for the final 100 games: A trade deadline haul of relievers

The MLB trade deadline. Taking place on August 1 this year, it’s a time when the Mets can add a whole lot more to their roster. Exactly what will they add? One thing that’s guaranteed if they can remain in buyer mode is a whole bunch of relievers.

The team we should definitely have our eyes on are the Chicago White Sox. They have some intriguing options on their roster. Kendall Graveman, Joe Kelly, and Liam Hendriks are three of those options. I’m not yet convinced we’ll see the Mets acquire Lucas Giolito or Dylan Cease in an even bigger blockbuster with them. Frankly, I still have a tough time seeing the White Sox willingly make any sort of trade with the Mets due to how Jerry Reinsdorf feels about Steve Cohen.

Other teams selling this summer can provide the Mets with some options. The Colorado Rockies would be a good place to start. Mark a prediction of them landing two relievers and a bat in a single trade. One of the pieces will be underwhelming. Is Daniel Bard, Brent Suter, and Charlie Blackmon okay with everyone? We might have to settle for Jurickson Profar. How much more would it cost to get Randal Grichuk? 

Daniel Vogelbach is long gone by the time this trade happens. That’s your bonus prediction. It’s not a summer of Vogey.

4) NY Mets prediction for the final 100 games: Ronny Mauricio is the team’s super utility man

Ronny Mauricio has done everything possible to warrant a call-up to the majors. The Mets have been careful about having a roster of too many young players. Mauricio’s change to second base and expectation of learning left field should have him joining the ball club as a super utility man.

Mauricio will have already replaced Mark Vientos on the roster as he joins Francisco Alvarez and Brett Baty as the newest of the Baby Mets. A far better fit on the ball club because of the positions he is learning, Mauricio will be used the way Jeff McNeil has been in the past.

Regular starts up the middle and in left field will get Mauricio plenty of at-bats. He’ll be used as a pinch runner as well. The Mets became a team even more reliant on using up every position player they can.

Mauricio’s obvious progress as a legitimate power threat in the minor leagues is something the Mets could use in any capacity. He’ll play well enough to the point where we all begin to make the assumption that he’ll be next year’s starting left fielder. We might not be wrong about that. He’ll take some starts from Mark Canha down the stretch but the veteran will benefit from the extra days off.

5) NY Mets prediction for the final 100 games: Third wild-card spot clinched on September 29

The biggest prediction of all is where the Mets finish in the standings. It won’t be an easy summer. The Mets finally clinch their playoff spot on September 29 with a win against the Philadelphia Phillies to start their final series of the season. The Phillies will have already been eliminated. The Miami Marlins, too.

The September schedule is a fascinating one with the final 13 games of the season against the Marlins, Phillies, Marlins, and Phillies again. The Atlanta Braves will have already put enough distance between the rest of those teams who will spend those final days beating up on each other. The Mets will barely pull away victorious thanks mostly to how their pitching holds up.

In addition to the haul of players they get from possibly the Rockies, we should expect the Mets to completely change how we feel about the players in the bullpen. They’ve spent most of the year with three mop-up men, Tommy Hunter, Stephen Nogosek, and Dominic Leone. Billy Eppler can’t possibly expect to keep his job with all three of them around.

Focus for the Mets will be on making the players they currently have better by putting them in situations to thrive. The general manager has big responsibilities. None compare to what the players must accomplish.

Taking the third wild card spot isn’t the most satisfying of predictions for the final 100 games. As the Phillies proved last year with it, that’s all you need.