As they had been in front of the Atlanta Braves for the bulk of the season, the New York Mets were expected to win the NL East division. The final weekend before the regular season ended, the Braves swept the Mets, seizing the initiative and preventing Atlanta from having to participate in the new Wild Card system. They lost badly when they faced San Diego in a best-of-three series, and they were shocked by the young Padres franchise.
The hoopla around the presence of Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom, as well as strong hitters like Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor, proved insufficient to defeat San Diego in a brief series. The Mets’ poor play is to blame for their team’s loss of a double-digit lead in the NL East, regardless of how much Mets supporters protest the new playoff system. The Mets must therefore think about these modifications during the offseason.
Revitalize their pitching staff
The only key player with a deal for the 2019 season is Max Scherzer, whether they are starters or relievers. Because they gave up many runs that determined the outcome of the Wild Card game, Scherzer and Chris Bassitt underperformed in the postseason. With that significant Game 2 win, Jacob deGrom continued his outstanding performance, but if they want to be taken seriously as a title contender, they’ll need to persuade him to stay in New York for the long haul.
For the Mets to advance, a Carlos Rodon or Nathan Eovaldi addition in the offseason may be crucial. Additionally, the Mets front management must make every effort to retain closer Edwin Diaz since teams like the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers are in desperate need of a top closer. In addition to Diaz, other bullpen players like Adam Ottavino and Seth Lugo are also looking for new contracts.
Supplement Lindor and Alonso
Pete Alonso is also anticipated to remain one of the Mets’ franchise mainstays for the foreseeable future, and Francisco Lindor has already inked a sizable extension. In a game where power hitters and home runs are the main emphasis, having contact hitters like Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil is amazing.
The depth in the outfield will be diminished going into the 2023 offseason if Nimmo decides to leave during the offseason. Additionally, in the offseason, the power hitters from one through nine need to be improved. A few offseason additions that might be taken into consideration include Josh Bell, J.D. Martinez, and Aaron Judge—possibly the best player in the game right now. It is even more clear that they can pursue practically any free agent on the market because Steve Cohen is their owner.
Even more evidence that front-office management is essential in this type of situation is provided by the success of franchises like the San Diego Padres and Cleveland Guardians this season. To be able to compete well into the postseason, the Mets must take what they can from these organisations and apply it to their own front office.
This year is a learning lesson for them, as being top-heavy is not always a good way to construct a baseball club. New York has the components and resources necessary to compete each season, but they will need a few more batters and pitchers to genuinely contend in the upcoming years.
The article Mets: 2 adjustments New York needs to make to win the 2023 World Series first published on ClutchPoints.
