It wasn’t an especially aggressive offseason for the Mets, a team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2016, but perhaps it didn’t need to be. After all, even though the franchise, its ownership and general manager Brodie Van Wagenen are often maligned, team brass has assembled a rather talented roster. Last year’s Mets amassed 86 wins – the sixth-highest total in the National League – and are set to bring back their best contributors from then if and when the season gets underway.
Of course, a pair of award winners are at the forefront of the roster. Right-hander Jacob deGrom has earned back to back National League Cy Youngs. There’s little reason to believe he or first baseman Pete Alonso, who pounded 53 home runs in 2019 to earn NL Rookie of the Year honors, are going to let up. And there’s plenty of proven talent supporting that pair, with an appealing rotation (albeit one that lost Zack Wheeler to the division-rival Phillies in free agency) that will consist of some combination of deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Marcus Stroman, Rick Porcello, Steven Matz and Michael Wacha.
Meanwhile, a position player cast that finished 2019 seventh in wRC+ and 11th in fWAR is returning the same key complements to Alonso. Hitting machine Jeff McNeil, Michael Conforto (currently down with an oblique strain, but he could be fine by the time the season starts), Brandon Nimmo, J.D. Davis, Dominic Smith, Wilson Ramos and Amed Rosario haven’t gone anywhere. Neither has potential Hall of Fame second baseman Robinson Cano, for whom there appears nowhere to go up after a shockingly poor, injury-marred first season as a Met. And Yoenis Cespedes seems to be progressing after three straight injury-ruined campaigns of his own.
Cano and Cespedes make for potential rebound candidates, as do multiple members of a Mets bullpen that fell on its face a year ago despite Van Wagenen’s efforts to improve it during the previous winter. Edwin Diaz, who joined the Mets from the Mariners in the Cano blockbuster that has blown up in New York’s face so far, and big-money signing Jeurys Familia were terrible. Considering their strong track records, it seems fair to expect some sort of bounce-back effort this season. Likewise, former Yankees star Dellin Betances – who came to the Mets in free agency – is also seeking a return to form. But that’s on account of injuries that all but wiped out his 2019, not any kind of decline in performance. The hope is that those three will get back to normal and join Seth Lugo, Justin Wilson, Robert Gsellman, Brad Brach and likely Wacha to comprise a dominant bullpen. There’s loads of risk in that bunch, but the upside is evident.
It was an odd winter for the Mets, who had to can rookie skipper Carlos Beltran before he ever managed a game, thanks to his role in the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal. To the chagrin of many Mets fans, they also saw a potential sale of the franchise fall apart. Off-field turmoil aside, Beltran’s replacement, Luis Rojas, looks to be inheriting a good situation. However, it should be a dogfight in the NL East, which could feature as many as four contenders (the Braves, Nationals and Phillies are the others).
Before the coronavirus turned the world on its head, back when baseball was supposed to consist of 162 games, PECOTA projected 87.9 wins and a division title for the Mets. Normally, it would be customary to ask how many victories you expect them to rack up, but a 162-game season is a pipe dream at this point. Therefore, let’s take the simpler route: If a baseball season does happen, will the Mets make the playoffs?
(Poll link for app users)
feel like it’ll be a dogfight between the Mets, Phils, and Nats for 2nd and a wild card spot all year.
Any one if those teams can win the division. Braves are no lock.
i dont think so. same was said about the Braves last year and they blew by the rest if the division. Washington got worse and Philly and NYM didnt improve by much.
Idk, I agree a little more with AFK711. I think the phillys just aren’t a playoff contender honestly… otherwise Mets Gnats and Braves all could win the division. Braves starting pitching had me concerned.. to many wild cards, youth, and quite frankly open spots …. that’s a pretty important segment of the team, so we’ll see. I obviously agree that I think the Braves win the division… but idk if it will be a landslide like last year
The Braves get no respect, not even from their own fans.
LOL…Philly speaking The Truth.
I think the Braves have the division in the bag.
I’ve heard that one before
To be fair it’s usually true.
The Braves got worse too…
Agreed, sans the Marlins. All other teams have a shot, even though the Braves are by far the most complete and talented team.
Agree that any of the four teams can win the division. I will say that the Mets have put together a lot of good rosters over the recent years and tend to underperform to some extent each year (except obviously ‘15). Them having the highest PECOTA doesn’t do much for me, but they certainly have a chance. Assuming the Braves will win the division isn’t the safest bet, but I think its fair to say they have the best chance. I personally am a Nats fan and hope the Nats take the East back but I’d certainly be happy with a repeat of last year! Also the shortened season will give more teams a shot. I’ve said this before, but take away the first 50 and the Nats are neck and neck with LA and ATL as the best team in baseball last year (besides the team in the American League West that won the meaningless piece of metal that was awarded in 2017 and not rescinded) so while they didn’t when the division last year it could be argued that they were as good of a team.
The Mets could be a monster if everything comes together for them, but that is a big if.
They really need too many things to break right if that happens. The same could be said about a lot of teams. It’s not the most comforting feeling when half your lineup and pitching staff are bounce back candidates. However, the Yankees proved that luck can work in your favor. All their replacements had career years, nearly impossible to replicate.
The Mets only really have to have Diaz an familia bounce back to have the same season as Braves and dodgers
Those are the two biggest X factors.
I agree. Pitching and offense should be fine. Bullpen is the difference between 1st or 4th
Don’t sleep on the Marlins, Lewis Brinson will be in the MVP conversation, and Jose Urena will be top 3 in Cy Young voting.
Wow. That is going out on a limb. I hope you’re right, VG20.
Okay, this even made me laugh.
Lewis Brinson has tools, but many guys do, but not all of them can cut it. Brinson reminds me of someone the older Mets fans may remember that had a lot of tools, but couldn’t cut it either.
Mets fans, do you remember Ryan Thompson? As a Marlins fan, that’s what I’m seeing in him, but I’m hoping he finally does something. If he does pull off a Ryan Thompson, I hope that Isan Diaz has the same career as the 2B who was thrown in with Thompson in that Cone trade. Yep, Jeff Kent. At least the Marlins have multiple shots to get something back in that Yelich trade – Isan Diaz, Jordan Yammamoto, and Monte Harrison. But Brinson would be nice too.
Brinson has all the tools. He just needs to put it together.
He’s on his last shot with the Marlins to prove he can cut it or be dropped off and look like the next Ryan Thompson.
And I’m saying this as a Marlins fan.
Given the way things are going does it really matter?
On paper, they are good…. but they have been good on paper the last few preseason … look how they turned out. So I’m not sure what they real answer is. I thought for sure last year was gonna be a tough Mets team, but they weren’t
Very true. But this is the best team they have ever had on paper.. (2015-now).. this year they actually have an offense. I’m worried about next year bc Mets could have a good team and finish 4th. I hope they win it should be a dog fight.
I disagree. I think they were better on paper last year with Wheeler in the rotation. The thing is no one is expecting Diaz and Familia to be as terrible as they were last year.
Will there even be a season
Yes
Nope they won’t make the playoffs, yankees won’t make playoffs either cus there will be no baseball this year
Tough but I got them in assuming a 4 month season-
Their high powered staff should play well in a shorted season, a little extra time should help the bumps and bruises on the offensive side at the moment as well-
Not saying they are a better team than ATl but as a Dodger fan id surely rather play ATL than NYM come playoff time
Very true Mets and Nats are the most dangerous postseason teams in the east.
Braves are the best regular season team.
Yikes. Just because you’ve done well recently doesn’t erase your past. Just like if the Braves go all the way next year they’ll still be considered chokers. Just like the Nats, and Mets. P.s. if you think the Mets are a dangerous postseason team because of a miracle run from 5 years ago I feel sorry for you. They can’t and won’t make the postseason anyways. They’ll be out of it by July as always. Well, maybe August this time.
I think they are scary bc they have a lot better postseason pitchers than you nothing to do with the past or vodoo dolls or any of that
Ahhhh…and the overrating of the Mets pitching staff continues. Besides deGrom, the Mets pitching staff is mediocre and inconsistent like other mediocre pitching staffs.
If deGrom goes down, the Mets are a 90-loss team with the rest .of that pitching staff.
While I’m not as harsh on the pitching staff as you, few pitchers are as overrated as Syndergaard. Guy is talked about like an ace. Both Wheeler and even Vargas looked better than him in 2019.
Ah yes…the Mets were out on July 23rd last year…sorry SEPTEMBER 23rd. .
Syndergaard has had one year where his era was above 3.24 and his career era being 3.30 he is far from overrated. He had one bad year last year big deal
If Jerry Seinfeld is seriously considering buying the Mets, he should do it soon cause if they do make the playoffs and go deep into the playoffs, the price will continue to go higher and higher. He loves baseball and loves the Mets.
We might be looking at a sprint to decide who gets in. There’s no telling what teams are going to come out of the gate playing good ball.
The Mets starters remained healthy in 2019. And if I recall correctly, they also got the most innings per start from their starters as a unit (someone please check that for me). The bullpen might be better in 2020 (can’t be any worse on the back end) but health of the rotation is going to be a big question mark.
AL West
Mariners
AL Central
Tigers
AL East
Orioles
NL Central
Pirates
NL West
Rockies
NL East
Marlins
AL WC 1 Blue Jays
AL WC 2 Tigers
NL WC 1 Giants
NL WC 2 D’Backs
Marlins vs Tigers World Series
Tigers in 7
Hahahaha awesome!
How are the Tigers in the playoffs twice?
Split Squad.
Nice
Mariners promote Kelenic and #1 SP prospect Logan Gilbert after the first 2 months of their season. Kelenic bursts onto the scene and reminds everyone of Trouts 2012 rookie season. Gilbert has the next best rookie season since Masahiro Tanaka in 2014.
#2 pitching prospect Justin Dunn goes on a historic run as closer- eclipses the 7.4 WAR rookie season posted by B Jays Mark Eichorn. Vogelbach eclipses the 50 HR mark, Haniger comes back (finally) healthy and has a better season than his 2018 season. The surprising amount of team wins forces Dipoto to keep Taijuan Walker, Kendall Graveman and Kyle Seager after each of them eclipse the 5 WAR mark before the deadline. They win the AL WC and pull a WA Nats- win it all!!! What!? Surely that can happen? Nah…..they’ll lose 104 games then fire Dipoto hahaha
Thanks for this! I needed it! 🙂
The idea that the Mess are a good team is a total Messconception!
You’re either very slow or don’t follow baseball. Mets are a good talented team that might miss playoffs bc of the division they play for. Same could be said for Phillies Braves or Nats
No that would be you. The Mets homer who thinks they’re going to the postseason over teams that are better than they are. Your posts are cringeworthy at best. The NL East was supposed to be the best division in baseball last season as well. Nothing will change this year. It’s the Braves and Nats competing for the division with everyone else below them.
If the Mets bullpen blew 3 fewer games, we were in the playoffs….
Metsfan22 is starting to grow on me. I use to think he was being obnoxious because he was posting that the mets had the best roster on the Nationals and Braves post. Here lately you have been making less homerish posts. I wouldn’t sleep on the Mets. If they have everyone healthy they are a force to be reckoned with. It should be fun to watch. (Whenever that may be.)
Yes, “less homerish” is a good description for him. He still hasn’t kicked the homer habit. I bet he’s a devout follower of Matt Cerrone, Anthony DiComo and Mike Lupica too.
As for the Mets, they’re like the Phillies – an implosion that has a great chance of happening.
To me, the Braves are the class of the division. The only reason it’s debatable is because they’re in Atlanta, Georgia instead of New York or Boston. If the Mets and Braves switched rosters, all of the national media outlets would pick that roster to win the division handily by 10+ games. Metsfan22 would pick them to run away by 20+ games.
As a Marlins fan, to me the Braves are the best team and class of our division. They’ve proven it two years in a row. They have the most complete and well constructed roster. They have the most competent front office right there with the Nats. The Braves just play and win without the media hype. With the Mets, the Mets PR team and broadcast team would make the 62 Mets sound better than the 27 Yankees.
Lol thanks. At first first I have to admit I was joking/trolling around with the Mets being the best team. Do I think Mets will outplay yankess Dodgers or Houston during the season? No do I think they could win a WS or finish in 4th? Yes lol
Obviously they won’t make even a WC spot but don’t sleep on the Marlins making some noise. I’m the sense of making it difficult for some of these teams at the end of the year. The talent is there and they improved to roster quite well. Might have to knock the Mets out of the playoffs again.
The fish didn’t knock the Mets out of the playoffs. You just mathematically eliminated us. The Mets fans knew before that series even started they weren’t going to make it to the playoffs. It’s not like we had a chance and you guys ended it. It just happen to happen that when we played you was when a lose would mathematically eliminate us. Ik marlin fans don’t have much to celebrate but I never understand why they acted like they did something to us. Lol it’s funny bc it’s the marlins.
He’s referring to 2007 and 2008.
All of baseball can’t forget those years of how the Mets choked and the Marlins players made a point of burning them both years because of Jose Reyes’ antics on the field those years.
Mets might make the playoffs and they might not. They have enough talent but they are far from a lock.
Mets picked up 5+ games by getting a new manager.
Can the Phillies claim that too because their manager has far more experience than your manager, and their manager won a World Series and Manager of the Year.
I’m picking the Braves to win the division, but wouldn’t be shocked if the Mets or Nats won it. Phillies didn’t really do enough to be in the conversation. As for WC, I think the Mets and D’backs get in, the latter mostly due to intra-division games in a weak division.
No mention of their defense. Which will again be among baseball’s worst. How many bad defensive teams play in the WS ?
The NYMs look like 3rd in that division.and maybe tied with three other teams for the final playoff slot. They desperately need Diaz to come back.
Sadly, Mariners fan here! I always felt Diaz’s problems stemmed from 2 things- he seemed to perform better the more back to back games he pitched, and a lot of his HR problems were created in his mind. Case in point- his All Star game appearance. He can get over excited and lose his mechanics. Personally, I think he’s going to have a much better season. A lot of Ms fans use hindsight and will tell you it was one of the best trade the Mariners made but I was heartbroken when we traded him.
Good enough to not lose a game this April for sure!
50/50 chance they play the season.
Lets be serious now…Mets going to do Mets things which means high preseason expectations and then fall face flat 30 games into the season.
they need to stay healthy. i dont understand how these guys have only gone to one world series since 2015. They need to focus on winning and staying healthy instead of worrying and cracking jokes on the astros because their window is closing and have nothing to show for..
Their window isn’t closing tho.
Uh, look at deGrom’s age. Their window is closing. He declines or goes down, that pitching staff become mediocre to bad very fast. Right now they are erratic mediocrity with one stud carrying it.
Mets win 93 games and take the NL East.
Mets suck pure out and simple
They will be lucky to get .500
hahahaha!
If healthy, they could be very good. But when have the Mets ever stayed healthy.
Since Mets fans are saying “if” the Mets are healthy and “live up to their potential”, they will be a championship contender, then I will say the following.
If the 2020 Marlins have a season like the 1969 Mets, 1988 Dodgers or the 2003 Marlins, they can win it all and shock the world.
There you go. The wonderful world of blog statements and predictions!
Mets? Not as good as the neighboring Yankees.