5 big Mets spring training performances from 2023 that turned out to be a fluke

Spring training 2023. All of the hope in the world. The New York Mets were bound to make it deep into the playoffs. Capture the National League East crown. Roll through the postseason against inferior teams. Maybe end with a parade.

A team of destiny, a lot of the excitement began in the preseason with some excellent performances.

As it turns out, these five Mets who posted big spring training numbers would eventually see a much different reality set in. Their success in March turned out to be a complete fluke.

1) Max Scherzer

Max Scherzer looked like the ace the Mets needed last spring. In his four starts that spanned 17.2 innings, Scherzer was 2-1 with a 1.53 ERA. He struck out 25 batters, walked 2, and allowed one home run. He was the King of Spring. Ghosts of what happened in the previous year’s postseason looked like they would be erased.

Yeah. We wish.

Scherzer wasn’t a complete failure for the Mets in 2023 especially when compared to some of the other performances. When we consider the expectations, it’s impossible to not feel underwhelmed.

In his 19 starts for New York in 2023, Scherzer was 9-4 with a 4.01 ERA. Home runs were a big reason for it. Prone to serve up meatballs a little more often than the average ace, the 1.9 home runs per 9 was the highest rate of his entire MLB career.

This wasn’t a case of him running out of gas either. He allowed 3 earned runs in 6 innings on Opening Day and another 5 in his 5.1 frames in start number two. His suspension for a sticky substance against the Los Angeles Dodgers stole away two starts and when he returned after the layoff he got hammered by the Detroit Tigers.

Scherzer had too many outings in 2023 where he looked his age.