Mets showing interest in late inning relievers
New York has been linked to Ryne Stanek and Héctor Neris in free agency. Plus, setting expectations for 2024.
What’s Up with the Mets? 🍎
In addition to RHP Ryne Stanek, the Mets are also showing interest in free agent RHP Héctor Neris (SNY)
Neris, 34, pitched to a 1.71 ERA with a 2.5 bWAR over 71 appearances for the Astros last season
RHP Adam Ottavino is an option to return to the Mets in free agency after opting out of his contract earlier this offseason (SNY)
Mets OF Brandon Nimmo was named the No. 2 left fielder in baseball by MLB Network last night
Random musings on the season ahead… ✍️
It’s been an incredibly quiet offseason, not just for the Mets but for baseball as a whole. Despite Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto both signing in December, the market still has not picked up in free agency as baseball’s deep freeze continues.
With all of that inactivity, it’s still hard to really have a complete thought or opinion on almost any team’s offseason at this point, but here are a few quick thoughts and musings that pop into my head about the season that lies ahead for the Mets (as things currently stand)…
They’re one power hitter short
Despite what felt like a woeful offensive season, it would probably surprise you to know that the Mets actually ranked 10th in all of baseball last year in home runs with 215.
Over 35 percent of those home runs came from the duo of Pete Alonso (46) and Francisco Lindor, while Francisco Álvarez (25) and Brandon Nimmo (24) also had fine power years. That being said, it still feels like this team is one bat with pop short of what they need as the power numbers drop dramatically outside of those four.
Guys like Jorge Soler (36 HR in 2023), J.D. Martínez (33 HR) and Justin Turner (23 HR) are all still available in free agency and at this point, only Soler will likely need to get more than a one-year contract. If the Mets still want to compete in this financial reset of a season, adding one of these bats can help them in both of those departments
That bullpen looks… oof
Good news, everyone: Edwin Díaz is back and ready to go in 2024. Outside of that, though… it is still slim pickings for the Mets bullpen.
The club does still have Brooks Raley who was productive as the team’s main left-hander last season, but the rest of the bullpen is currently made up of players like Drew Smith, Jorge López, Phil Bickford, Michael Tonkin and Yohan Ramírez. That just is not going to cut it whatsoever, especially after the team ranked 22nd in bullpen ERA last season.
This team really needs to add a relief pitcher, and ideally more than one. Let’s hope their recent interest in Ryne Stanek, Héctor Neris and Adam Ottavino is legit.
Prospects on deck
This team’s got a lot of prospects that could eventually show themselves at the big league level in 2024. There’s been a lot of hype around Jett Williams recently who could potentially debut at some point later this year, with Luisangel Acuña, Mike Vasil and Drew Gilbert all potentially on deck, as well.
If you’re a big prospects person, this will likely be the year for you as more exciting Mets youngsters are set to start their careers in Queens and bring the youth movement to this roster.