Did the Mets do Enough This Offseason to Compete in 2024?

It was a different offseason than Steve Cohen’s previous ones in his Mets tenure. After committing to a “World Series or bust” mentality straight out of the gate, he put together a juggernaut roster with co-aces Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, landed All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor and put together the most expensive payroll in baseball history.

However, after all that, the Mets made only one postseason appearance since Cohen’s takeover. They took on the Padres in the Wild Card round in 2022 and looked like ghosts of their 100+ win season. Cohen landed his white whale this offseason in David Stearns, years after pining for him. After naming him president of baseball operations, the two agreed that the previous approach didn’t work and the Mets would pivot.

Gone were the days of splashy signings, although the Mets made an admirable run for Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Instead, the team agreed to multiple minor league deals with veteran players, especially with infielders noted for their defense. In addition, they signed Luis Severino, Harrison Bader, Sean Manaea, Joey Wendle, Michael Tonkin and Jorge López. The Mets then traded for Adrian Houser, Tyrone Taylor and Yohan Ramirez, to name a few.

Manaea signed the lengthiest contract, only two years. A majority of the players signed have high upside, with low-medium risk. It’s a new approach for a team accustomed to shopping in the designer aisle. All that said, the question is: is this approach enough for the Mets to compete in 2024 and make it back to the postseason?

IT STARTS UP TOP

While Stearns is heading the baseball operations department, one of the most crucial signings of the offseason was to fill the vacant manager spot. The Mets and Buck Showalter mutually parted ways in October, and the team hired former Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza to replace him.

With glowing reviews from around the baseball community, Mendoza brings a refreshed mindset and mentality to Queens. He brings youth, leadership and compassion, all critical skills for someone to lead a team to a playoff race. Mendoza will be the fifth manager in Queens in just the past seven seasons. New York is a challenging place to play, and Mendoza isn’t just up for the task; he welcomes it.

DEPTH IS THE NAME OF THE GAME

You’ve heard it countless times because it’s one of the most vital parts of the game: you can never have too much depth. The Mets found that out the hard way last season on Opening Day when they placed Verlander on the IL. Scherzer joined him on and off throughout his stint in Queens, and the Mets relied on Tylor Megill, Joey Lucchesi, David Peterson and José Butto. 

With only Kodai Senga and José Quintana as the two shoo-ins for the rotation, the Mets bulked up their rotation depth. Peterson is out until mid-season recovering from hip surgery. To compensate, the team acquired Houser and signed both Manaea and Severino. While Severino remains a wild card and Manaea looks to bounce back, the Mets will likely have to rely on their depth throughout their season.

While Severino is a bit of a wild card right now, the Mets also have the Keep an eye out for Christian Scott and Mike Vasil, who look to join the big league rotation at some point during the season. 

However, the bullpen remains on shaky ground. With Edwin Díaz, Brooks Raley and Drew Smith the only returning arms, plenty of slots remain up for grabs. While names like Wandy Peralta and David Robertson remain on the reliever market, the Mets also have Nate Lavender in the minors. He’s sure to get a good look this spring.

NO LONGER A LIABILITY

For some time, the Mets’ defense was, well, comical. They ranked towards the bottom of the league years in a row and made easy plays look difficult. Their combined fielding stats for the 2018-2023 seasons land them 25th in the league. In this time span, they committed 469 errors, and their total defensive runs saved was -67.

However, Stearns commented that defensive upgrades would be a priority this offseason, something he was known for in Milwaukee. First and foremost, they receive one of the best center fielders in the game in Bader. According to Statcast, the speedy outfielder ranked in the 93rd percentile (10) in fielding run value, 95th percentile in fielding range [OAA] (9) and 91st percentile in arm strength (91.7 mph). He also landed in the 85th percentile in sprint speed (28.8 mph).

As a fourth outfielder, Tyrone Taylor also landed in the top percentiles in both sprint speed (28.8) mph and arm strength (90.4 mph). In the team’s overlooked moves, like Wendle, comes defensive flexibility. One of the team’s main issues in 2023 was the lack of versatility on the field. Stearns nipped this in the bud and brought in a crop of players who can complement Jeff McNeil and play multiple positions when needed.

POWER OUTAGE

The team mustered 1,276 hits last season, 27th in baseball. Ironically, the Mets hit 215 home runs in 2023, the 10th most in baseball. To add to the seriousness, the Braves hit 307 home runs and 1.543 hits. Both led all of baseball. The Mets have to compete with this.

Sure, every player goes through their share of slumps, as does every team, but when the Mets found themselves in the thick of it last season, they felt every bit of it. The team hit .237/.310/.398/.708 against lefties and .238/.319/.411/.730 against righties. They also struck out 422 against lefties but a staggering 909 times against righties.

Although the roster is all but set, the only addition outside of relief pitching is a DH. J.D. Martinez, Jorge Soler and Justin Turner remain on the market, and most would accept a short-term deal in line with the Mets’ offseason strategy.

The DH role has been abysmal for the Mets since it became a staple. There hasn’t been a clear-cut answer, and when things weren’t working, they weren’t handled clearly. It’s a position that still might need looking at as the season inches closer.

THE VERDICT

So, did the Mets do enough? Comparing the 2024 and 2023 roster, I think they have a better squad moving forward with much to look forward to. The rotation is a question mark — they can either be really good if all goes according to plan, or things can go downhill quite fast. But that’s how every season goes, just look at last year.

I don’t think the Mets are there to compete on the level they need to with the Braves just yet. Another DH and bullpen help might get them there. But until then, anything can happen. That’s what makes the game so great.