New York Mets: 2023 Season Preview
Can the New York Mets top their season from 2022? They’ve got plenty of upside in 2023, but let’s take a closer look:
Catcher
The New York Mets will have a new starting catcher in Omar Narvaez. He previously played for the Milwaukee Brewers in the previous three seasons. Narvaez had an injury-riddled 2022 campaign, playing in only 84 games. But he was an All-Star in 2021 and hit 22 home runs in 2019. Narvaez is solid defensively behind the plate and has a good arm. So the Mets expect some improvement defensively with Narvaez over James McCann. Tomas Nido will once again be the backup catcher. He is solid defensively and is a good game-caller. Offensively, he is limited with little power, although he had some moments in September while he started a majority of the games at catcher that month.
Infield
3 of the 4 infield positions are a sure thing and good ones. Pete Alonso will once again man first base. He once again had a monster year offensively in 2022, hitting .271 with 40 home runs and 131 RBIs. Those 131 RBIs led the National League. Jeff McNeil will once again be the second baseman. McNeil bounced back from a rough 2021, to hit .326 which won him the NL batting title. He was rewarded with an extension in the offseason. Shortstop Francisco Lindor also bounced back from a rough 2021, to have an All-Star-like year again in 2022. Last year, he hit .270 with 26 home runs, 107 RBIs, and stole 16 bases. Lindor continues to dazzle defensively at the shortstop position as well. Third base will be up for grabs between either the veteran Eduardo Escobar or rookie Brett Baty. Escobar overall had a disappointing 2022, but he finished strong in September, winning NL Player of the Month that month. However, Baty has had a great Spring Training, hitting .333 with a home run and also showing improvement at third base defensively. With Baty being considered the future third baseman, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if he is the starting third baseman come to Opening Day next week. Luis Guillorme will once again be one of the backup infielders. He is a super utility infielder who can fill in at any of the infield positions and is one of the best out there defensively wherever he plays. Offensively, Luis won’t provide much pop but he hit .273 last season.
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Outfield
The Mets locked up Brandon Nimmo to a new deal, keeping him at the center field over the next eight years. Nimmo is currently banged up and Opening Day seems uncertain. But when healthy, Nimmo is a game changer at the leadoff spot, whose high on-base percentage impacts an offense. Nimmo provides decent power at 16 home runs and although he hasn’t stolen many bases, Nimmo has excellent speed when running around the basepaths. But defensively at center field, is where Brandon improved the most last season. Once a liability, Nimmo is an above-average center fielder. Starling Marte will man right field again. Marte had an excellent 2022, hitting .292 with 16 home runs. He is one of the fastest players on the team and has hit well in the clutch. He is splendid in the outfield with a strong arm. Marte missed most of September after getting hit by a pitch and his absence was a big factor in the Mets’ offensive struggles down the stretch. Mark Canha will be the left fielder for the second straight year. Canha’s best month was in August when he batted over .300. Newly acquired Tommy Pham is a capable backup outfielder. Pham played for two teams last season the Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox. Pham only batted .236 but hit 17 home runs.
Designated Hitter
The Mets will platoon at DH with mostly Daniel Vogelbach and Darin Ruf. Vogelbach versus righties and Ruf vs lefties. Vogelbach was acquired last August. While he won’t provide much in average, he provides left-handed power and will draw walks. Vogelbach lost 20-25 pounds in the offseason, so he should be a little more nimble on the basepaths. Ruf was also acquired midseason. Ruf struggled mightily with the Mets last season, hitting only .152, but the team is giving him another chance. Pham could also fill in as a right-handed DH if Ruf continues to struggle.
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Starting Pitching
The Mets lost Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom but replaced him with another Cy Young winner in the offseason in Justin Verlander. Justin won the AL Cy Young award last season and is continually going strong at 40 years old. He was 18-3 with a 1.75 ERA and held opposing hitters to a .186 average. He will pair up with Max Scherzer as the team’s co-aces. Scherzer when healthy is still a dominating pitcher even at age 38. He was 11-5 with a 2.29 ERA and held opposing hitters to a .207 average. The Mets lost Chris Bassitt but signed All-Star southpaw Jose Quintana. However, Quintana will be out until at least July with an injury. The Mets also signed the top pitcher in Japan Kodai Senga. If Senga adjusts well in the majors, he has ace potential with his stuff, especially the kind of slider he throws, which is called “ghost pitch”. Carlos Carrasco is back from last season. He was 15-7 with a 3.92 ERA in 2022. Carrasco won’t overpower anyone with his stuff, but he is crafty and is a smart veteran pitcher. David Petersen and Tyler Megill will provide depth in case any of the starters get injured. Both of them had their moments last season, especially Megill at the start, filling in for deGrom.
Bullpen
The Mets, unfortunately, lost Edwin Diaz for the season, when the top-notch closer tore his patellar tendon during the World Baseball Classic. Which made acquiring David Robertson even more crucial. Robertson won’t be Diaz, but he is still an All-Star reliever. Last season, Robertson had a 2.40 ERA and held opponents to a .173 average, while pitching for the Chicago Cubs and the Philadelphia Phillies. Robertson also has experience pitching in the playoffs, helping the Phillies reach the World Series last season and winning a World Series ring with the New York Yankees in 2009. The Mets re-signed Adam Ottavino to set up again and fill in as a closer if needed. Ottavino had one of the best seasons of his career last year, with a .206 ERA and a .204 average against opposing hitters. Adam has one of the best sliders in the game. New York added a lefty reliever in acquiring Brooks Raley had a 2.68 ERA in 2022 and is effective against both lefties and righties. Drew Smith will provide depth in the middle innings. If Smith can pitch like he did last April, he is a nasty pitcher. John Curtiss can be one of the last in lines to make it in the bullpen. If he pitches as he did in Spring Training, he will provide some more depth. In seven games in Spring Training, Curtiss has a 2.70 ERA with 11 Ks.
Outlook
The 2022 Mets had a great regular season, winning 101 games which is the second most in franchise history. They had a busy offseason with many acquisitions, hoping to improve the team even more and get them deeper in the playoffs. The Mets upped their pitching all around, acquiring Verlander and Senga in the rotation, and Robertson and Raley in the bullpen. They have good depth with their pitching, which can be put to good use on it after losing Diaz for the year and Quintana until the All-Star break. The Mets tried to improve their power by trying to sign Carlos Correa, but it was nixed because of his physical. But the lineup still should be a force with Nimmo, Marte, Lindor, Alonso, McNeil, and others co-leading the way. Overall this is a team built to win now and despite the tough National League East division, the Mets will at least be in the playoff hunt. They have one of the best managers in the game reigning NL Manager of the Year Buck Showalter. There was lots of winning and excitement at Citi Field last season and this season should feel no different.
