The real fun and games begin now for the 2024 New York Mets
Plus, why Francisco Álvarez will be the biggest X-Factor for the Amazins' this year
What’s up with the Mets? 🍎
The Mets brought their spring training camp to a close with a 3-0 loss to the Yankees on Monday afternoon (box)
LHP Sean Manaea had an impressive final outing of spring, allowing just two earned runs over five innings of work with seven strikeouts and no walks
The lineup, which won’t change much at all for Opening Day, managed just two hits all game
RHP Drew Smith and RHP Adam Ottavino both came in and threw scoreless innings
The Mets will wear uniform patches to honor the late Bud Harrelson throughout the 2024 season (Mets.com)
Former Mets Captain David Wright was the guest star on the inaugural episode of The Terry Collins Show (YouTube)
Rumor Mill 🤫
Neither the Mets or the Yankees have ruled out the possibility of signing LHP Jordan Montgomery (New York Post)
Roster Moves 🗞️
Optioned DH JD Martínez to Triple-A Syracuse
Released RHP Peyton Battenfield
Today’s Game 🗓️
The Mets have off days on Tuesday and Wednesday before opening up the 2024 MLB regular season against the Brewers at Citi Field on Thursday.
It is now time for the Mets to do all their talking on the field ✍️
This is where the fun begins.
To quote the most tragic figure turned biggest badass villain in movie history - if you didn’t know I was talking about Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader, then I don’t know what to tell you - the real exciting stuff starts now for your beloved New York Mets.
After 30 games (including the one Spring Breakout showcase), after countless lineup combinations, after a slew of prospects and veterans did their utmost to try and win a roster spot, and after an annual spring pitching injury, the Mets can now wave goodbye to spring training for another year and instead focus on what really matters.
It is now time to get down to brass tacks.
Let the real games begin.
It all comes down to the next 162 games for the Mets, who must now lead with actions when it comes to their playoff aspirations.
Spring is for talking. Summer is for putting in the real hard work and performing where it matters the most: out on the field.
We’ve spent the entire offseason talking ad nauseam about realistic expectations for this Mets team. We’ve devoted hours upon hours debating if the starting rotation is good and deep enough to hold up over a full 162-game season.
Heck, we’ve broken down everything there is to break down about the 2024 New York Mets into a fine, fine, fine powder.
Over the coming days, we’ll continue to wonder if the lineup has enough firepower to stay afloat in an uber-competitive NL East division. We won’t stop asking if this is the year Brett Baty establishes himself as the new third baseman of the future. We will put a lot of hope in the both starting rotation and the bullpen performing above expectations for the entire season.
But, ultimately, none of that matters.
What does matter is what the Mets will do out on that beautiful diamond at Citi Field, and on a slew of baseball diamonds across the country, starting Thursday.
Come Opening Day, all eyes will be on the Mets and what they do, rather than what they say.
It became increasingly more and more difficult to come up with relevant and compelling ideas for this space in the dog days of spring training when games just didn’t matter.
After all, it is foolish to put too much stock into anything that happens during spring training, good or bad.
Spring training games don’t count. But regular season contests do, and Opening Day will be our first opportunity of 162 to see what these Mets are really made of.
This organization has not shied away from making clear their goal is to make the postseason in 2024. Well, now it is time for this team to go out and back up that talk with the type of consistent, fundamentally sound baseball that will be needed to secure a Wild Card spot.
It is finally time for the real business to begin.
Over to you, Mets.
My one big X-Factor for 2024
Ignoring the obvious contenders like Pete Alonso, Edwin Díaz and Kodai Senga (when he’s back healthy), I really do feel strongly that Francisco Álvarez is going to have a monster year in 2024.
And, if that proves to be the case, and everything else breaks right, then the Mets should still be competitive in September.
Álvarez has looked like he’s really elevated his game throughout spring training, impressing greatly both behind and at the plate. The catcher led MLB in runners caught stealing with eight this spring. He also hit .214/.313/.500/.813 with three homers, three doubles, six walks and nine RBIs.
Boasting a cannon for an arm behind the plate, and pure power with the bat, Álvarez is primed for a monster year in 2024 and I think he will be one of the main driving forces for this team. If the 22-year-old can throw out a boatload of runners while hitting between 25-30 home runs, then the ceiling for what the Mets can achieve this year will be just that little bit higher.
Around The League 🚩
Shohei Ohtani denied betting on sports and accused his ex-interpreter of lying and stealing money in an address to the media on Monday (YouTube)
RHP Justin Verlander will throw a two-inning live BP at Minute Maid Park on Tuesday
RHP Paul Sewald will begin the year on the IL for the Diamondbacks with a Grade 2 left oblique strain
OF Garrett Mitchell suffered a fracture in his left hand and will be on the IL so start the season for the Brewers
INF DJ LeMahieu will undergo another MRI on his right foot on Friday. He won’t be available on Opening Day for the Yankees
Looking forward to the season. Brett Baty has a lot to prove.
Love Francisco Alvarez. Would like to see his batting average over .250.