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The New York Mets were on track to win the NL East crown as they were ahead of the Atlanta Braves for the majority of the season. The Braves snatched control when they swept the Mets on the last weekend before the end of the regular season, which meant Atlanta would not need to go through the new Wild Card format. Going up against San Diego in a best-of-three affair turned out to be a disaster for them, and they were upset by the youthful Padres organization.
The hype of having Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, along with powerful batters like Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor was not enough to overthrow San Diego in a short series. Mets fanatics can argue all they want about the new playoff format but losing a double-digit lead in the NL East is due to their own subpar play. Thus, these are changes the Mets must consider in the offseason.
Revitalize their pitching staff
Max Scherzer is the only one of the main guys that, whether starters or relievers are under contract for next season. Scherzer and Chris Bassitt underperformed in the postseason as they allowed multiple runs that decided the contest in the Wild Card tussle. Jacob deGrom continued his magnificent showing with that crucial Game 2 victory, but they will need to convince him to stay long-term in New York if they want to seriously contend for a crown.
A Carlos Rodon or Nathan Eovaldi addition in the offseason may be essential for the evolution of the Mets. Furthermore, closer Edwin Diaz is entering free agency as well, and the Mets front office must give it their all to keep him, especially with the likes of the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees in dire need of a superstar closer. It is not just Diaz searching for a new contract as bullpen arms like Adam Ottavino, and Seth Lugo are entering free agency as well.
Supplement Lindor and Alonso
Francisco Lindor has been signed to a massive extension already, while Pete Alonso is also expected to be one of the franchise cornerstones of the Mets for the foreseeable future. Having contact hitters like Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil are brilliant in this kind of baseball being played, wherein the focus is primarily on power hitters and homers.
Nimmo may decide to leave in the offseason, so the outfield depth will be depleted entering the 2023 off-season. Furthermore, the power hitters from one through nine need to be enhanced in the offseason. Some offseason acquisitions that could be considered are Josh Bell, J.D. Martinez, and arguably the best player in the league right now, Aaron Judge. With Steve Cohen as their owner, it makes it even more evident they can chase almost any free agent they would want on the market.
With organizations like the San Diego Padres and Cleveland Guardians flourishing this season, it gives even more indication that front-office management is integral in this kind of situation even if they limited financial capabilities. The Mets must learn from these franchises and implement it in their own front office, so they can compete deep in the postseason.
Being top-heavy is not necessarily a commendable approach to building a baseball roster, so this year is a learning experience for them. New York has the pieces and assets to compete every season, but they will need a couple of more bats and arms to seriously contend for the next years to come.
