MMO Roundtable: Grading The Mets Offseason

Mets fans, we’re almost done with the offseason. Spring training is on the horizon. Lots of moves were made (or almost made) this offseason. There was drama. There were nighttime moves. We were kept entertained.

So, what grade do we give the Mets offseason?

Chris Bello

Grade: A-
The Mets head into 2023 better than last season. They addressed the rotation by signing three starters, including Justin Verlander, built a dominant rotation through the free agent and trade market, and retained core guys such as Edwin Diaz and Brandon Nimmo. The Mets also added multiple depth pieces who will pay dividends over the course of 162. While the Mets didn’t add a big bat to a lineup that lacked power last year, the door is open for Brett Baty and Francisco Álvarez to make an impact in 2023.

John Sheridan

Grade: B
The Mets are a different team, but we’re not sure yet that they’re better. Their new rotation has a higher ceiling with Verlander and Senga, but they also have a lower floor as the rotation is old with some question marks. Gone are key players like Williams, who is difficult to replace. They also didn’t get that key bat they knew they wanted, but to be fair, they did all they reasonably could do.

Correa would’ve made it an A+, but they justifiably did not proceed with the deal. Still, there are pieces here and on the farm which can solve the Mets issues. Those farm pieces does include their ability to swing a major trade at the deadline.

Overall, this looks like a postseason team, but it’s difficult to ascertain just how good they can or will be. They could’ve done more, but they also kept all they needed to keep, as a result, they get a B.

Andrew Steele-Davis

Grade: B+
Overall, it was a pretty successful offseason for the Mets. They lost a franchise icon in Jacob deGrom but replaced him with a surefire future Hall of Famer in Justin Verlander, and on a deal that made a lot more business and baseball sense too. Kodai Senga could be the pickup of the offseason if he adjusts quickly to life in the majors, while Jose Quintana and David Robertson were smart additions. Re-signing Edwin Diaz and Brandon Nimmo were also deals the Mets had to do.

However, as of now, there are still a few question marks. The bullpen still needs work and you wonder why the front office is dragging its heels in signing a Zack Britton or an Andrew Chafin. There’s still a game-changing bat missing from the lineup, too. Carlos Correa would have been that piece, obviously, and while Tommy Pham is a nice depth piece to have, that lack of power concerns me. The Mets tied for 15th in homers in 2022 and their inability to hit the long ball could hurt them again in 2023. So, while the offseason was largely a success for now, we could look back at it differently depending on how 2023 plays out.

Dan Quiñones

Grade: A-
With all of the expiring contracts the Mets had following the 2022 season, it was clear that a lot of work would need to be done.

Signing Díaz and Nimmo were key moves since there weren’t many other options for their positions, and the organization found a way to get both of those deals done. The starting rotation lost three pitchers who were all-stars as recently as 2021, yet they have the potential to be better this year thanks to the additions of Verlander, Senga and Quintana. The bullpen, while it still could use another left-hander, looks much improved with the additions of Raley and Robertson along with Ottavino and the aforementioned Díaz returning.

The only area that wasn’t addressed in a major way was the lineup. Without Correa, it appears the heart of the Mets’ lineup will be the same as last year. Despite the lack of overall power in 2022, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Even with the 15th most home runs in MLB, the Mets were a top offensive team in nearly every other offensive category. While it’s not a guarantee, one would have to imagine the Mets will get more from the catcher and DH positions in 2023 simply because they got so little in 2022. Correa would’ve made this an A++ offseason, but with all of the moves that were made, the Mets deserve a lot of credit for how they have handled this offseason.

Rich Sparago

Grade: A-
The Mets were in a very tough situation with so many players on a 101-win team being eligible for free agency. They did a very good job of retaining critical pieces, such as Brandon Nimmo, Edwin Diaz, and Adam Ottavino.

The Mets also moved quickly to fill the rotation void left by Jacob deGrom, signing Cy Young winner Justin Verlander. Further, they likely upgraded the rotation with Kodei Senga and Jose Quintana. They added an important bullpen piece in Brooks Raley, though they lost Seth Lugo and Joely Rodriguez.

Overall, there is good reason to believe that the 2023 team should be on par with the 2022 team, and be able to compete for a division title.

The areas that take my assessment down a bit are not bringing in another lefty for the bullpen, though they still may sign Andrew Chafin or Zack Britton, and not signing Pete Alonso and/or Jeff McNeil to long-term contracts. The Mets need that additional lefty reliever, as David Peterson may have to join the rotation at some point, which would leave just Raley. The Mets have seen the Braves lock up their young stars, it’s time to do the same with Alonso and McNeil.

Matt Mancuso

Grade: B+
The Mets came into the offseason with a plethora of holes to fill and by-and-large, they’ve managed to do so. The team’s roster is looking strong, though I’m uneasy that the best-case scenario of Scherzer and Verlander making 60 combined starts will transpire. Kodei Senga offers plenty of potential, though with plenty of risk as an unproved MLB arm. That being said, the risk of the rotation’s floor falling out is mitigated by Megill and Peterson representing baseball’s best 6th and 7th starters.

The lack of a shift should help their offense avoid their sporadic team-wide slumps and I did enjoy the moves on the margins the front office made to buttress their offense. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I’m glad Daniel Vogelbach (and his 11/10 walk-up song) has every fan’s adoration.

Their bullpen was in need of a complete revamp. As always, relievers are a fickle bunch, but this current group of back-end arms looks like an above-average group, though not a level of Atlanta’s.

Fellow NL East clubs made a lot of win-now moves this offseason, while it seems the Mets only improved their floor and added replacements. It may pay off after 162 games, but an unnecessary, but still, a shiny toy (like a Carlos Correa) would’ve allowed the Mets to separate more from their Philly and Atlanta counterparts.