5 Mets Storylines To Watch In April

The start of the 2023 season is on the horizon, and the New York Mets are ready to begin their push for a World Series title.

The Mets particularly had an interesting spring that had its high and low moments. Multiple key players dealt with injuries, highlighted by Edwin Díaz, who will miss the whole year after tearing his right patella tendon. On the flip side, a couple of top prospects tore up the Grapefruit League.

That being said, the first month of the season for the Mets will be decisive. Due to injury, certain players have been given the opportunity to demonstrate their skills. Meanwhile, top prospects await in Syracuse, leaving veteran players on the hot seat.

Here are five storylines to watch during the first month of the season.

1. Eduardo Escobar & Third Base

All eyes are going to be on Eduardo Escobar in the first month of the season. The veteran third baseman, who signed a two-year, $20 million deal before the 2022 season, had a lackluster first year in Queens, slashing .240/.295/.430/.726 with 20 home runs in 136 games. Diving deeper into his 2022 season, Escobar salvaged his numbers in September, when he slashed .321/.385/.596/.982 and hit eight of his 20 homers.

To make matters worse, Escobar was one of the worst defenders in baseball last season. He ranked in the 8th percentile for Outs Above Average and the 47th percentile for arm strength. It’s been five years since the 34-year-old has been a plus defender at third base, and with Brett Baty and his improved defense in Escobar’s rearview mirror, his future as the starter at third might be coming to an end with the Mets.

If Escobar doesn’t have a strong start to the season, many fans will start to harp on the team to call up Baty from Syracuse. (Many fans are reasonably upset Baty didn’t make the team out of spring.) The veteran had a decent April last season slashing .258/.378/.427/.805,  but it may take an offensive statement to cement regular playing time.

2. Bullpen Management

The Mets’ bullpen took a massive blow in February. Díaz, Sam Coonrod, and Bryce Montes de Oca injured themselves in the World Baseball Classic and spring training, leaving the team with a glaring hole in the ninth inning and little depth.

In regards to the ninth inning, Buck Showalter has two options moving forward—Adam Ottavino and David Robertson. Ottavino has looked better in spring, striking out two batters in three scoreless innings and was stellar for the Mets in 2022. However, Robertson, who saved 20 games last season, has had past success saving games in New York and could easily be thrust into the role.

Old faces and new acquisitions will fight for their roles in the first month as well. Drew Smith struck out 11 batters in six innings and may get higher leverage innings after an injury derailed his above-average 2022. Meanwhile, John Curtiss, who missed all of 2022 with Tommy John surgery, had an amazing spring and could be in the mix for high-leverage situations as well. He recorded a 2.70 ERA and struck out 11 batters in 6 2/3 innings.

3. Who’s the Odd Man Out

The Mets’ starting three outfielders are the same from the year before, but during the first month of the season, two players will duke it out for the fourth spot on the roster over the course of the first month or so.

Tommy Pham looked like the guy before the start of spring training once the Mets handed him a one-year, $6 million contract. However, the 35-year-old had an abysmal spring, slashing .156/.255/.178/.433 with zero home runs.

Pham’s performance opened the door for Tim Locastro, who signed a minor-league contract with the Mets in January. While Locastro is most known for his speed, the former Yankee crushed the ball in spring training, slashing .289/.396/.511.//907 in 45 games.

Besides his superior spring, Locastro may get the edge over Pham to start the season based on his profile. He is the speedy, plug-in fourth-outfielder that Showalter prefers—like Travis Jankowski in 2022—with the ability to impact the game outside of his bat. Pham, as of now, is stuck in limbo and may only get opportunities as a right-handed DH platoon.

4. David Peterson & The Final Rotation Spot

When spring training started, David Peterson and Tylor Megill were seen as depth pieces. However, after José Quintana went down with a substantial injury to his rib, the two of them battled it out for the fifth spot in the rotation.

Peterson became the beneficiary of the opportunity, winning the last spot in the rotation after striking out 13 batters across 12 scoreless innings. The former first-round pick not only limited runs, but limited base runners as well, and finished the spring with an outstanding 0.75 WHIP.

All eyes will be on Peterson to start the season. He grabbed eyes during his first year in 2020, but hasn’t stuck in the rotation since. (Although, when he was asked to start in 2022, he performed well.) Peterson will be 27 for the majority of the season, making him the youngest starter in the rotation behind Kodai Senga, who is 30 years old.

If Peterson struggles, the Mets could call up Megill, who was sent down to Syracuse after recording a 3.71 ERA across 17 spring training innings. Megill has proven his stuff can play in the majors, and he will make an appearance this season when an inevitable injury occurs. He is only a year removed from starting on Opening Day against the Nationals.

5. Check On The Kids

Baty and Mark Vientos were sent down to minor league camp during the last weekend of spring training. The two top prospects tore up the Grapefruit league, leaving many Mets fans confused as to why neither made the Opening Day roster.

Baty—the most confusing of the two—was sent down after slashing .325/.460/.425/.885 in 40 at-bats. The Mets’ second overall prospect also displayed his new defense, which looked refined and was attributed to a shift in mindset.

While the decision to send down Vientos seemed likely, he impressed enough in the spring to be in the conversation for the 26-man roster. The right-hander slashed .278/.310/.481/.791 with two home runs in 54 at-bats. However, the main concern with Vientos entering 2023 was his strikeout percentage, and during spring training this year, he struck out 38% of the time.

The two top 10 prospects are going to have eyes on them in the first month of the season. With Darin Ruf off the roster, both of them have an easier path to the big leagues. If Baty or Vientos dominates in Triple-A—or somebody gets injured on the MLB roster—it’s not unreasonable to think one of them could get called up in April. Billy Eppler was quoted saying the two of them were one call away.