3 roster mistakes fans are already afraid Billy Eppler will make

Are the New York Mets setting us up for a big disappointment? Losing Jacob deGrom to the Texas Rangers definitely didn’t have fans feeling good about the direction of the team. It’s a logical reaction to have. When the Mets haven’t made any major additions of their own, it’s time to question what they will end up doing.

Already, there is some fear that general manager Billy Eppler will make some mistakes. How founded they are varied. Fear is often a symptom of paranoia. Mets fans who had deGrom as a “must” are definitely looking both ways twice right now and wondering if the sound if their house settling is something more.

Are the Mets headed toward disaster? Probably not. But that won’t stop us from wondering if Eppler may make these three roster mistakes.

1) NY Mets fans fear the rotation will take a step backward

Now with no chance of having deGrom, the Mets need to be aggressive. Be-e aggressive. Justin Verlander and Carlos Rodon are the two logical pivots. The team will also need to get someone in the class of Chris Bassitt and Taijuan Walker to help round things out.

Even the, it’s feeling like the rotation will have at least Tylor Megill or David Peterson in it to open the year. It’s not horrific when compared to the rest of the league. When matched with what the plan was at the start of 2022, it’s a step in the wrong direction.

Eppler and the Mets pitching can prove us wrong for sure. They do have Max Scherzer already. Including three other quality arms can easily give them one of the best starting staffs in the game.

There will definitely be a ton of second-guessing for the Mets rotation all winter. Changes often create doubt. The Mets are making lots of changes. It’s okay for us to have as much doubt.

3) NY Mets fans fear the bullpen options will be underwhelming

Not much can save Eppler from getting dragged across concrete with the bullpen he ends up building. There are going to be at least two arms in there we would have liked to be better. With the way the Mets need to overhaul so much of the roster this winter, it’s making me appreciate what they had in 2022.

The Mets have brought in some decent depth guys to throw some relief innings. The challenge is making sure they aren’t in a revolving door, one behind the other. The depth chart has a ton of guys with a lot to prove. Very few have the pedigree to make us confident once the starters exit.

We may see Eppler spend wisely in free agency to build the bullpen, strike a deal for an awesome reliever, and raise our expectations. It’s the dream scenario. This could happen and still we’d have to expect some holes in the relief corps.

There aren’t a whole lot of very good relievers likely to end up with the Mets. The ones we do like, you make your pick, have some warts of their own. They’re too old or have enough of a track record of getting hurt.

New York will need to buy low with some relievers and hope for the best. Others may be names we already know and aren’t so sure about.

Eppler will need someone to blow on his dice. Building a bullpen isn’t easy. There may never be a first week in December of any offseason when we feel good about this situation.