The most important player on the Mets roster heading into 2024
Plus, the Mets lost to the Astros despite a strong showing from Tylor Megill in relief
What’s up with the Mets? 🍎
The Mets fell 2-1 to the Astros in West Palm Beach on Thursday night (Box)
Luisangel Acuna drove in the Mets only run of the game
LHP Jose Quintana started the game for New York and surrendered two earned runs over 1.2 innings
RHP Tylor Megill was the story for the Mets, firing three terrific innings in relief
RHP Shintaro Fujinami is expected back at Mets camp this weekend, per Mets manager Carlos Mendoza
Roster Moves 📰
The Mets signed veteran RHP Jon Duplantier to a minor league deal (MLB.com)
Injury Updates 🏥
RHP Max Kranick - who had emerged as a candidate for the rotation - has a strained left hamstring and will begin the season on the injured list
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (4-2) @ Cardinals (2-3)
Where: Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium – Jupiter, FL
Starters: RHP Luis Severino (spring debut) vs. LHP Matthew Liberatore (0-0, 9.00 ERA)
When: 1:10 PM EST
Where to Watch: MLB Network
Jose Quintana has become one of the most critical players on the roster ✍️
When the Mets signed southpaw José Quintana ahead of last season, the move was universally praised. The veteran was coming off a 2022 campaign that watched him deliver a sub-3.00 ERA across 32 starts, and with New York he was expected to be arguably the game’s top number four starter.
Things have changed significantly over the last 12 months.
Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer were both traded away during the Mets disastrously disappointing 2023 season.
And now Kodai Senga is going to miss the beginning of the upcoming season on the injured list.
Suddenly, the 35-year-old Quintana has gone from the Mets fourth starter to their staff leader, and he’ll be under immense pressure to keep this rotation afloat while they wait for Senga to return.
This winter New York brought in a trio of veteran starters in Adrian Houser, Luis Severino, and Sean Manaea. All three have had productive, even dynamic stretches in the Major Leagues, but at this point in their careers, all three come with question marks and the Mets are betting against those question marks in 2024. The Mets feel they can significantly improve a rotation that was frankly a trainwreck in 2023.
And maybe they can.
But for the Mets to be even remotely successful in 2024, Quintana has to take center stage.
His first season in Queens did not even remotely go as planned. A rib injury suffered in spring training kept Quintana out until after the All-Star break, and by the time he returned New York’s season had already gone completely off the rails.
In the 13 starts Quintana made for the Mets coming down the stretch, he was essentially exactly what the team thought he’d be when they brought him in. He delivered a 3.57 ERA with a 1.31 WHIP across 75.2 innings, while striking out 60 hitters and allowing only five home runs.
Those numbers were not ace like by any means, but the Mets unquestionably missed his consistently and dependability dramatically during the first half.
Quintana will likely throw the Mets first pitch of the season on opening day against Milwaukee, and the team sorely needs him to deliver in both that game and the 31 or so starts after that.
With an exciting group of young hurlers bubbling to the top of the Mets farm system, this team’s pitching staff might likely look dramatically different once again in 2025. But as we attempt to live in the moment and focus on how the Mets can surprise in 2024, there is simply not an avenue for that to happen that doesn’t include a healthy and productive Quintana.
He’s the one starter New York feels confident in what it can reasonably expect when he’s on the mound. Senga will return, hopefully sooner rather than later. But in the meantime, Quintana needs to assert himself as one of the team’s most important players.
Around the League 🚩
The Rays have signed backstop Francisco Mejia to a minor league contract (TB Times)
The Red Sox are looking for position player depth (MassLive)
Detroit claimed infielder Buddy Kennedy off waivers (Detroit Free Press)