Age: 45

2025 record: 83-79

Overall record: 172-152

2025 salary: $1.5 million

Grade: C+

2025 Review

The Mets were 45-24 on June 12, and at that point in the year, Carlos Mendoza would have likely earned an A grade considering New York had the best record in baseball.

There are things a manager can control and things he cannot, and on that same day (June 12), Kodai Senga strained his right hamstring covering first base while attempting to catch a high throw from Pete Alonso. Senga missed a month before coming back, but wasn’t the same pitcher. In fact, his last win of the season was on June 12.

Aside from Senga, the following starters missed significant chunks of time: Sean Manaea, Tylor Megill, Frankie Montas and Griffin Canning. All of that was out of Mendoza’s control.

But he does control the moves he makes during a game. Three of Mendoza’s decisions stood out to me:

• June 13: The day after the Senga injury was the start of a seven-game losing streak. Clay Holmes pitched five innings of one-run ball and had thrown 79 pitches. The Mets led Tampa Bay 5-1. Mendoza brought in Paul Blackburn to start the sixth, and he gave up four singles while recorded just one out. He then summoned Max Kranick to escape a two-on, one-out jam with the Mets leading 5-3. Kranick, who hadn’t pitched in 11 days, gave up a single and a home run. It was a six-run sixth inning for the Rays, who won 7-5.
• July 18: It was the day after the All-Star break, meaning the whole bullpen was rested. Manaea pitched four innings of one-run ball and had thrown 69 pitches. The Mets led Cincinnati 2-1. Alex Carrillo, a 28-year-old rookie who began 2025 in the Venezuelan Winter League, started the fifth. He hit a batter and gave up a two-run homer to Matt McLain, but got the ball again to start the sixth. (To reiterate, all relievers had been off for four days.) Austin Hays led off the sixth with a home run. Spencer Steer walked, and – after a wild pitch – Tyler Stephenson homered. Jose Trevino walked, and Mendoza then mercifully took the ball from Carrillo. The Mets lost 8-4. A defeat to the Reds would prove costly when the teams ended the season tied at 83-79.
• September 20: Edwin Díaz retired the Nationals on seven pitches in the 10th inning. Tyler Rogers got the ball for the 11th and gave up a two-run, inside-the-park home run. The Mets lost 5-3.

The expectations for Mendoza and the Mets were high coming into the season. He did not meet them.

2026 Preview

President of baseball operations David Stearns said Mendoza will be back, meaning he’ll be entering the last year of a three-year deal he signed upon being hired in November 2023. There is also a club option for 2027.

Like players, managers can have good and bad years, too. (To pull one example, Buck Showalter, Mendoza’s predecessor, won 101 games in 2022, then he won 75 in 2023.) Mendoza won 89 games as a rookie manager and brought the Mets within two wins of the World Series when their preseason over/under win total was 83.5. He was third in NL Manger of the Year voting. This season, though, the Mets won 83 when the over/under was 90.5.

The pressure will be on Mendoza right away to put the collapse of 2025 behind the club. A slow start, however, could put him on the hot seat.

The post 2025 Report Card: Carlos Mendoza, Manager appeared first on Metsmerized.

Player Data: Age: 31 (02/10/1992), B/T: L/R

Primary Stats: 49 G, 146 PA, 128 AB, .211/.283/.297, 27 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 5 2B, 0 3B, 0 SB

Advanced Stats: 64 wRC+, 18.5% K%, 9.6% BB%, .245 BABIP, 312 xwOBA, 0.0 fWAR, 0.0 bWAR

2023 Salary: $8,000,000

GRADE: D

2023 REVIEW:

Billy Eppler made a lot of puzzling moves as New York’s top decision-maker in the front office, but perhaps one of the most confusing of his Mets tenure was signing Omar Narváez to a two-year, $15 million deal.

Narváez entered the 2023 season expecting to be the everyday catcher, with Tomás Nido as his backup. Of course, the Mets would mix and match with Narváez and Nido hitting from two opposite sides of the dish, but no real thought was given to Francisco Álvarez being a contributor in the early goings.

The expectation entering was that Narváez would be an upgrade, offensively and defensively, to James McCann, who the Mets shipped off to the Orioles. But any thought in that neighborhood was quickly put to rest, as Narváez was diagnosed with a medium-to-high-grade strain of his left calf, with a timetable of 8-to-9 weeks as a return estimate.

It wasn’t long after that Álvarez took the starting catching job and ran with it, as the Mets didn’t think he’d be able to handle an everyday catching load. He put that narrative to rest rather quickly. And, by the time Narváez returned from the injured list, he was demoted to backup. Nido, the veteran backstop, was designated for assignment when Narváez returned from the injured list.

And because of that, his performance suffered. While you may want to look at his 2023 stats in a vacuum because of the lack of playing time he received, it was still one of his worst seasons to date. His struggles at the plate were particularly concerning. He had a career-low OPS of .580 and struck out in over 18% of his plate appearances. He also had trouble hitting for power, with his two home runs being his lowest total since his rookie season.

Defensively, Narváez was also below average. He threw out just 12% of base runners, and his caught-stealing percentage was the worst of his career. Granted, the rule changes and his lack of time behind the dish affected those numbers, but he failed to excel in an area that had been a strength for him. In the previous six seasons, his caught-stealing percentages were above 20%, including a career-high of 30.4% in 2020.

Numbers down all across the board, Narváez had a season to forget in 2023. That’s why it didn’t come as a surprise when he picked up his player option — worth $7 million — for the 2024 season.

2024 OVERVIEW:

Narváez showed little glimpses of promise, but those were few and far between when compared to Francisco Álvarez. His overall numbers were less than impressive, and his performance reflected as much. Narváez presents himself as one of the best backup catchers but is now one of the most expensive ones. With the lack of quality catchers in the league, Narváez could very well be a starter on several other MLB clubs. It’s hard to envision the Mets paying another catcher to play elsewhere for the second consecutive season. The Mets being able to call on Narváez in a pinch will certainly be crucial, especially with Álvarez beginning just his second full season in the league.

The post 2023 Mets Report Card: Omar Narváez, C appeared first on Metsmerized.

Player Data: Age: 30 (03/27/1993), B/T: L/R

Primary Stats: 152 G, 682 PA, 592 AB, .274/.363/.466/.829, 162 H, 24 HR, 68 RBI, 6 3B, 3 SB

Advanced Stats: 130 wRC+, 21.4% K%, 10.9% BB%, .324 BABIP, .355 xwOBA, 4.4 fWAR, 4.0 bWAR

2023 Salary: $18.25 million

Grade: A-

2023 Review

The New York Mets awarded Brandon Nimmo with an eight-year, $162 million contract following the 2022 season. Teams across the league had interest in the free agent at the time, but it always felt as if he would return to New York. In the first year of his new long-term deal, the team’s leadoff hitter appeared in a career-high 152 games in 2023. The center fielder has had his fair share of injuries since debuting for the Mets in 2016, but to his credit, those concerns seem to be behind him now. Nimmo has now played in at least 150 games for two straight seasons, which is certainly a great sign for the organization moving forward.

Like so many of his teammates, Nimmo had better numbers in the second half compared to the first half. Prior to the All-Star break, he slashed .266/.365/.442/.807 with 13 home runs, 41 runs batted in and 46 walks in 86 games. But as the season progressed, Nimmo took his game to another level. Over his final 64 games of the season, he slashed .284/.359/.500/.859 with 11 home runs, 27 runs batted in and 28 walks. Nimmo has always been a player who consistently gets on base, which continued for a large portion of 2023.

One of the most intriguing aspects of his campaign was the power he showcased. Nimmo has never been a home run hitter in the big leagues, but he was able to hit a career-high 24 home runs in 2023. His previous career-high was 17 back in 2018, and while he may have hit 16 in 2022, very few could have expected this significant increase from him. It will be interesting to see if Nimmo continues to be someone who can hit 20+ homer runs each and every season.

Nimmo has above-average speed, which is something he has shown in the field and even on the base paths. But even with bigger bases being implemented in 2023, he had just three stolen bases in six attempts. Nimmo has a total of 26 stolen bases as a big leaguer, and his career-high in one season was nine back in 2018. With guys like Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso hitting behind him, I think so many would like to see Nimmo test the opponent’s catcher every once in a while.

The 30-year-old has grown tremendously in his defense out in center field, but some metrics indicate that he took a minor step back this past season. According to Baseball Savant, Nimmo had six outs above average in 2022, which ranked him in the 90th percentile. In the following season, he had just one out above average, ranking him in the 72nd percentile. Nimmo’s arm strength ranked in the 40th percentile (on Baseball Savant) in 2023. While he has never been known for having a strong arm, he has drastically improved in his ability to track balls hit in the left-center gap or the right-center gap.

2024 Overview 

Brandon Nimmo has been a strong contributor for the Mets over the last two seasons, and if he is able to remain on the field, the organization is expecting more of the same from him in 2024. He has developed into one of the most consistent leadoff hitters in all of baseball, making every pitcher work as hard as they can to get him out at the top of their order. Nimmo always has a great understanding of the strike zone, which makes him so difficult to attack.

Nimmo has been a big league player for the Mets since 2016. He is someone who leads by example, and if this organization wants to return to the postseason in 2024, Nimmo needs to be at his very best. If their center fielder performs like he has over the last 24 months, this team will be in great shape as they prepare for spring training.

The post 2023 Mets Report Card: Brandon Nimmo, OF appeared first on Metsmerized.

Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Given today is the first day in 2023, we can officially close the books on 2022. It was an eventful season that saw several different individuals contribute to the 2022 New York Mets. Here at MMO, we took a look at each of these contributors, assigned them a grade, and predicted what may be next for them.

Below are all those report cards. You can click on the player’s name for the full report card.

Starting Lineup

Brandon Nimmo

Grade: A

“Playing nearly every day, Nimmo was able to produce a 5.4 fWAR. Only Mike Trout had a higher fWAR in 2022 amongst full-time center fielders. It was an incredible year for Nimmo, earning him an A for his all-around game.”

Starling Marte

Grade: B-plus

“Focusing on when Starling was on the field, the Mets have to be pleased with the production Marte brought to the lineup in his first year in Queens. For the second time in his 11-year career, he was named an All-Star and was very solid as a right fielder for the first time in his career.”

Francisco Lindor

Grade: A-plus

“Lindor’s all-around excellence made him one of the best players in the National League (NL) in 2022. His 6.8 fWAR was fifth in the NL, trailing just Manny Machado, Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt, and Freddie Freeman. Lindor won’t be taking home the NL MVP Award this season, but his stellar year should earn him some down-ballot votes.”

Pete Alonso

Grade: A

“Alonso had another dominant offensive season in 2022 and provided the Mets with much-needed power. His 40 home runs accounted for 23 percent of the Mets’ long balls and his 131 MLB-leading RBI accounted for 17 percent of the team’s runs. In 2022, Alonso led MLB with 16 intentional walks and the Mets in home runs, RBI, OPS, OPS+, and total bases.”

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Jeff McNeil

Grade: A-plus

“This final surge to end the regular season pushed McNeil’s batting average up to .326, just enough to beat Freddie Freeman for the National League and major league batting titles. McNeil became the first Met since Jose Reyes in 2011 to win the National League batting title, and the first Met ever to win the major-league batting title.”

Mark Canha

Grade: B

“The .367 OBP was among the highest of his career, and his 17.9 K% was the lowest of his career. There is no question that Canha was a difficult out, and that helped the entire lineup’s mentality of getting starting pitchers out of the game early.”

Daniel Vogelbach

Grade: B

“He went through some cold stretches, but his ability to consistently get on base, hit for power, and provide protection for Alonso in the lineup was evident the entire time. His 139 OPS+ and 144 wRC+ with the team suggest that he was the massive upgrade they thought he would be.”

Eduardo Escobar

Grade: C-plus

“Escobar was so good at the end of the regular season that he earned the National League’s Player of the Month honor in September, the first of his career. Escobar then went 3-for-9 with a double and home run in the Mets’ Wild Card loss to the Padres.

While there were certainly high points, and his most recent play was stellar, it’s no secret that Escobar’s first season as the third baseman in Queens was a roller coaster ride.”

Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Bench Players

Luis Guillorme

Grade: B

“Even with an uneven showing at the plate, in what ended up being a career year for Guillorme, he had another fantastic season defensively. Guillorme had his best shot at winning a Gold Glove in 2022, as Rawlings announced that it would be recognizing the defensive performances of utility players. Guillorme was ultimately snubbed for the award.”

Starting Pitchers

Jacob deGrom

Grade: B-plus

“DeGrom got the chance to redeem his terrible September when he made his Citi Field postseason debut against the Padres. With the season on the line, he struck out eight Padres and surrendered two runs over six innings. DeGrom’s performance propelled the Mets to a Game 2 victory and forced an eventual Game 3 loss.”

Max Scherzer

Grade: B-plus

“In the first two months of the season, Scherzer met the expectations many Mets fans had for him. In his first eight starts, Scherzer held batters to a slash line of .203/.264./.299/.564 and recorded a 2.54 ERA.”

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Bassitt

Grade: B

“Bassitt was a phenomenal addition to the clubhouse. He quickly built a strong relationship with deGrom and Scherzer, who would discuss the outcome of their starts immediately after it was finished. ”

Taijuan Walker

Grade: B-minus

“The 2022 season was an overall improvement for Walker. He had a better first and second half from the year prior and started 29 games. The Mets also got great value from Walker due to his low salary and performance compared to higher paid starting pitchers.”

Carlos Carrasco

Grade: C-plus

“Carrasco was able to make it through the season with just one short injured list stint, making 29 starts on the year. That’s a vast improvement from his 2021 health streak, and he provided a level of consistency at the back-end of the rotation with deGrom and Scherzer out for large portions of the year.”

David Peterson

Grade: B

“Overall, a nice season for the left-handed pitcher who served a plethora of different roles for the Mets. He was not perfect, though, he was very much serviceable and played a huge role in ensuring that New York’s pitching staff did not completely breakdown when they were suffering injuries left and right.”

Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Bullpen

Edwin Díaz

Grade: A-plus

“Díaz’s production was unmatched by any other reliever this year [2022]. You could certainly make the case it was the best season by a relief pitcher in Mets’ history, possibly, going as far as to say he had a top-three season by any Mets’ pitcher in team history.”

Adam Ottavino

Grade: A-minus

“Ottavino turned in the best season of his 12-year career in 2022. He threw 65 2/3 innings while striking out 79. He also posted an ERA and FIP of 2.06 and 2.85, respectively. Each extremely impressive figures. In doing so, he served as the all-important setup man to Díaz. Each time, doing so almost flawlessly.”

Seth Lugo

Grade: B-minus

“Lugo’s underlying and expected figures also shed some light on what was a relatively decent year for the veteran reliever. His xERA of 3.46 and xFIP of 3.51 are pretty solid numbers.”

Drew Smith

Grade: B-minus

“Smith didn’t allow a run in 2022 until his 13th appearance on May 13 against the Mariners. The Mets used him predominantly in the 7th and 8th innings, high-leverage situations. He had a 1.99 ERA as of June 24, but then hit a rough patch and the worst his ERA would be the rest of the season was 2.48.”

Trevor May

Grade: C-minus

“While May did not have the season that he or the organization envisioned, he locked in and pitched great down the stretch. May struck out 13.9 batters per nine innings after coming off the injured list and was able to lower his ERA from 8.64 to 5.04 at the end of the season.”

Mychal Givens

“Givens did not allow a run over his final eight appearances as a Met, totaling 11.1 innings pitched.”

Grade: D-plus

Tylor Megill

Grade: C-minus

“It was a mostly lost season for Megill, as he spent the majority of the 2022 season either on the injured list or appearing in minor-league rehab assignments. His season numbers don’t paint the whole picture, as he pitched rather effectively in a starting role, up until he got injured.”

The post MMO’s 2022 Mets Report Cards appeared first on Metsmerized.

Luis Guillorme

Player Data: Age: 28 (9/27/1994), B/T: L/R
Primary Stats: 102 G, 335 PA, 297 AB, .273/.351/.340/.691, 81 H, 2 HR, 17 RBI, 1 3B, 1 SB

Advanced Stats: 106 wRC+, 13.7% K%, 10.2% BB% .317 BABIP, .302 xwOBA, 1.3 fWAR, 1.6 bWAR
2022 Salary: $875,000

Grade: B 

2022 Review

When the Mets acquired Eduardo Escobar last off-season, the team answered any questions about who the starting third baseman would be heading into the 2022 season. Still, injuries, and the most productive start to Luis Guillorme’s Mets’ career forced manager Buck Showalter‘s hand.

Guillorme’s lion’s share of playing time came at second base, where he played 67 games allowing Showalter to give Jeff McNeil a breather or put the National League’s batting champion in the outfield, where he made 47 starts.

Guillorme, who has always been known for his glove, has a reputation as a bench bat, who will not only work counts, but also put the ball in play consistently. Prior to last season, Guillorme never had more than 156 plate appearances in any season in New York, but heading into the All-Star Break, Guillorme owned a .857 OPS and had some of the best offensive success of his career in the first half of 2022.

His bat, however, would come back down to earth in the second half as the season winded down. A couple weeks later, Guillorme would be diagnosed with a moderate left-groin strain, which cost him four-to-six weeks. At that point in the season, Guillorme was slashing .283/.355/.357 with a .712 OPS on the season.

Even with an uneven showing at the plate, in what ended up being a career year for Guillorme, he had another fantastic season defensively. Guillorme had his best shot at winning a Gold Glove in 2022, as Rawlings announced that it would be recognizing the defensive performances of utility players. Guillorme was ultimately snubbed for the award, which was earned by Brendan Donovan of the St. Louis Cardinals.

In 2022, Guillorme bailed out the Mets defensively on numerous occasions. Guillorme had six Outs Above Average (OAA), which tied Brandon Nimmo for third on the Mets, trailing only Jeff McNeil (8) and Francisco Lindor (13). He also saved a total of five runs from scoring, according to Baseball Savant.

While his bat didn’t reach the level of his glove in 2022, he certainly made strides in the right direction under hitting coach Eric Chavez‘s tutelage. If Guillorme can ever become a consistent hitter, watch out.

Photo by Roberto Carlo

2023 Outlook

Barring any unforeseen trades, Guillorme will almost certainly be back with the Mets in 2023. He’s a valuable spot starter, who will be a necessary complement to that of Escobar, Lindor or McNeil off the bench.

While it’s unlikely he’ll be an everyday player for Showalter’s club, there are some scenarios which may enable him to see more playing time going forward. Of course, that depends on a multitude of factors, such as the health of the 28-year-old Guillorme, who played in a career-high 102 games this past season, and who else the Mets bring in this off-season.

Not only can Guillorme start at three different infield positions, but he can do so at a Gold-Glove level. Guillorme’s glove and his ability to come off the bench in a pinch to give the Mets competitive at-bats make him a valuable asset for New York in 2023 and beyond.

The post 2022 Mets Report Card: Luis Guillorme, INF appeared first on Metsmerized.

Player Data: Age: 37 (11/22/1985), B/T: R/R

Traditional Statistics: 66 G, 65.2 IP, 6-3, 2.06 ERA, 0.975 WHIP, 79 SO, 16 BB
Advanced Statistics: 188 ERA+, 30.6 K%, 6.2 BB%, 2.35 xERA, 2.85 FIP, 2.79 xFIP, 2.3 bWAR, 1.1 fWAR

Salary: $4,000,000 (free agent in 2022)

2022 Review

The New York Mets had a lot of uncertainty surrounding their bullpen entering the 2022 season. In attempt to address it, they added veteran slider-ball pitcher Adam Ottavino. The Mets added the right-handed reliever via a one-year deal worth $4,000,000. Boy, did that pay dividends, as Ottavino became one of two stalwarts in the Mets’ bullpen last season.

Ottavino turned in the best season of his 12-year career in 2022. He threw 65 2/3 innings while striking out 79. He also posted an ERA and FIP of 2.06 and 2.85, respectively. Each extremely impressive figures. In doing so, he served as the all-important setup man to Edwin Díaz. Each time, doing so almost flawlessly.

Snippet via Baseball Savant.

As you can see via the above snippet from Baseball Savant, Ottavino’s traditional numbers may not be enough to tell how good he was. There was very few instances where he was not reliable, and was called upon basically every other day during the duration of the season. Countless times he had batters befuddled at his slider while time and time again helping the Mets out in big spots.

Speaking of that slider, Ottavino rightfully relied on it heavily. It was his go-to pitch as he threw it nearly 43% of the time. In doing so, it generated a batting average against of .165 and expected batting average against of .161. Ottavino’s whole repertoire is built on that slider, and he had it working for him big time during the 2022 season.

Last season should not come as too much of a surprise. Ottavino has always been a very effective pitcher. Though, spending most of his career in the altitude of Coors Field may have hidden his true impact. Regardless, terrific to see him be so effective for the Mets last season.

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

2023 Outlook

As mentioned above, the veteran Ottavino was only signed to a one-year deal during the 2021 off-season. Given how strong his season was, expect a rightful raise for the New York native.

It was reported, once again, just Saturday that the Mets want Ottavino back in the orange and blue. Though, the issue is going to be for how long. Otttavino is 37 years old, so giving any type of meaningful term would be very dangerous for the Mets. Though, as the Saturday report mentions, Ottavino is allegedly pursuing a multi-year deal.

The money most likely will not be the issue. Are the Mets willing to go past one year? Will the New York City native take a “hometown discount” and settle on a one-year deal? These are both questions that will likely decide if the Mets’ 2022 setup man is back in Queens next season.

Regardless of what happens, Ottavino is certainly someone, despite the age, the Mets are rightfully pursuing to bring back. His performance last year (and his track record overall) was so good a two-year deal, at a potentially lower annual average (than a new one-year deal), can certainly make sense. Though, good to see the general manager Billy Eppler and the Mets interested in bringing back someone who was so good for them last year.

The post 2022 Mets Report Card: Adam Ottavino, RP appeared first on Metsmerized.

Player Data:

Traditional Stats: 28 G (19 GS), 105.2 IP, 7-5, 3.83 ERA, 1.334 WHIP, 126 SO, 48 BB
Advanced Stats: 101 ERA+, 27.8 K%, 10.6 BB%, 3.94 xERA, 3.64 FIP, 3.31 xFIP, 0.9 bWAR, 1.4 fWAR

2022 Salary: $700,000 (arbitration eligible in 2023, free agent in 2026)

2022 Review

David Peterson did a little bit of everything for the New York Mets in 2022. He was projected to start the season with Triple-A Syracuse before injuries struck the Mets’ rotation. He ended up starting 19 games and appearing in nine others out of the bullpen. Overall, the results were largely good, though one big Achilles’ heel hindered him throughout the season.

On the face of things, his numbers were good. Peterson turned in a 3.83 ERA and 126 strikeouts over 105 2/3 innings pitched. This 27.8% strikeout rate, which ranked in the league’s 80th percentile, was easily a career high. Peterson also set a career-high in innings pitched among several other statistical categories. In total, opposing hitters slashed .236/.327/.378 against him, good for an OPS of .706. Not too shabby.

Peterson’s underlying and expected figures also paint a decent picture. His xERA of 3.94 and xFIP of 3.31 each are good numbers. He relied heavily on an elite slider that generated a BA and xBA of .175 and .173, respectively, which are each toward the top of the league. This, among other aspects, resulted in a extremely strong whiff rate that ranked in the league’s 81st percentile. When it was all said and done, as a result, he posted the gaudy strikeout total and above league average ERA and FIP figures.

The aforementioned Achilles’ heel that plagued Peterson was his control issues. Overall, he owned a 10.6% walk rate, which ranked in the league’s 14th percentile. He would inexplicably go stretches where his control would evade him and the walks would pile up putting Peterson in precarious situations. If Peterson can iron out the walk problems, he has a chance to be a very good starting pitcher for the Mets moving forward.

The other area the 27-year-old had some issues was limiting hard contact. The average exit velocity against Peterson was hard, as he ranked in the league’s 18th percentile in this area. Meanwhile, the hard-hit rate was also poor, as he ranked in the league’s 21st percentile in this area. Some of those struggles can very well be traced back to Peterson needing to fight back in counts when his control evaded him. As he had no choice but to leave pitches out and over the plate, which would sometimes be hammered as a result.

Overall, a nice season for the left-handed pitcher who served a plethora of different roles for the Mets. He was not perfect, though, he was very much serviceable and played a huge role in ensuring that New York’s pitching staff did not completely breakdown when they were suffering injuries left and right.

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

2023 Outlook

Peterson’s Mets outlook is one of the more intriguing on the roster. Will he be used out of the bullpen? Will he continue starting?

Well, interestingly enough, his splits as a starter versus reliever in 2022 were basically identical. Peterson started 19 games posting an ERA of 3.86 and an opponent slash line of .236/.327/.370, this good for an OPS against of .698. Meanwhile, in nine appearances as a reliever, he posted an ERA of 3.68 with an opponent slash line of .235/.328/.431, good for an OPS against of .759.

Peterson’s splits last year further indicate he would be extremely useful out of the bullpen. He held left-handed hitters to a .177 batting average and .640 OPS. Last year, the Mets seemingly struggled for most of the season finding someone who can get left-handed batters out in big spots consistently.

Though, with all this being said, the Mets might need Peterson to start out of necessity. Only one starting pitcher from last year (besides Tylor Megill) is currently under contract, that being Max Scherzer. Each Jacob deGrom, Chris Bassitt, and Taijuan Walker will be, or can be, free agents. Filling four rotation spots in one offseason is a big ask. Penciling Peterson in as the team’s fifth starter and looking to close the gap that way would be much more efficient and a lot easier to do.

Regardless, whatever role Peterson fulfills for New York next year, expect him to be once again very important. If he can iron out the lack of control, he can be a godsend for a Mets’ rotation that will desperately need one next year. If not, you can probably expect another season much like 2022. A valuable starter who can step in when injuries mount, or an effective left-handed arm out of the bullpen.

The post 2022 Mets Report Card: David Peterson, SP/RP appeared first on Metsmerized.

Photo Credit: Katie Stratman, USA TODAY

We can finally close the book on 2021 as the year comes to a close in seven days. Here at MMO, we put the lid on the year by recapping all of the 2021 player report cards from this year’s version of the New York Mets.

A big shout out to all the contributors who wrote these. Those writers are: Alex Horowitz, Meghan Kalenborn, Dan Quiñones, Austin Simmons, James Villani and editor Marshall Field. Snippets from each of their pieces is featured below each player. And also a big shout out to Robby Waldrop, who contributed the graphics for this series.

Click on the player’s name to read the full report card.

Starting Lineup

Brandon Nimmo

Grade: B-

“He is the type of player that is fairly easy to dictate how he is going to contribute and produce year in and year out. His above-average speed, high OBP and hustle coming out of the leadoff spot have been a constant since his debut in 2016 and are something the Mets have counted on.”

Francisco Lindor

Grade: C

“Despite playing like the player he has always been for a majority of the season, he was not able to make his overall numbers look close to his standards by season’s end.”

Pete Alonso

Grade: A

“While his home runs and RBI’s were lower this season, his increased defensive ability as well as significantly decreasing his strike outs and stepping up as a team leader make Pete a better overall player in year three.”

Michael Conforto

Grade: C-

“Michael Conforto may be on the right side of average with his 101 OPS+ this season, but his C- grade is warranted after a season in which he completely failed to play to expectations.”

Javy Báez

Grade: A

“In his brief time as a Met, Báez showed Mets fans why he is called ‘El Mago.’ The highlight reel plays he made in the field and on the bases seemed to happen on a nightly basis.”

Jeff McNeil

Grade: C+

“There’s no denying that McNeil had short stints of success this season as a Met. But his overall inconsistency and overall lack of reaching preseason expectations lead to this C+ grade. His double-digit game hitting streak aside, McNeil was one of the Mets most significant under-performers this year, especially compared to his 2019 numbers.”

Dominic Smith

Grade: D+

“It appears the main reason for Smith’s woes was his inability to make solid contact. … He went from an everyday player to riding the pine and serving as mainly a left-handed pinch-hit bat off the bench.”

James McCann

Grade: D

“McCann was never expected to step in and be the league’s best hitter, but there was hope that he could sustain the success he had with the White Sox. With his offensive numbers dropping drastically across the board, it is hard to give him a grade any higher than a D.”

Bench/Rotation Players

J.D. Davis

Grade: C

“Despite having an overall productive year offensively, the missed time and inconsistency due to injuries will be the lasting memory of J.D. Davis in 2021.”

Kevin Pillar

Grade: C

“The inconsistency of Pillar to really ever get on a hot streak in 2021 this year ultimately hurt his basic hitting stats and cast a shadow over his effectiveness throughout 2021. Yet his timely power and above all, his sheer heart as a baseball player after such a gruesome injury, plays a large role in his final C grade.”

Jonathan Villar

Grade: B+

“Jonathan Villar‘s 2021 season can best be summed up in two words: exceeding expectations. …  Finding himself with a “K” in the scorecard over 25% of the time was not ideal, although he was far from the only Met with that issue in 2021.”

Luis Guillorme

Grade: C

“Heading into the 2021 season Luis Guillorme was set to be a solid bench player for the Mets with the flexibility to play multiple infield positions as well as providing an improving bat. … Injuries came at the worst time for Guillorme in 2021 but it was an otherwise fine season that the team will be hoping can be somewhat replicated albeit with more health.”

Tomás Nido

Grade: C-

“Grading solely on expectations, Nido did his job wonderfully for two months. … Thanks to his defense, Nido was still able to make an impact on the field, nearly notching a whole win above a replacement player (according to Fangraphs). A fully healthy Nido over a whole season probably ends up with a whole letter grade higher.”

José Peraza

Grade: D+

“The biggest positive for Peraza in 2021 was his timely hitting. … In a year that was essentially lost for him, he was able to cash in a couple of signature moments.”

The ReplaceMets (Patrick Mazeika, Billy McKinney, etc.)

Grade: B

“The replacement unit receives a generous B grade almost entirely because of the fact that they helped keep this team afloat during the first half of the season when most of the regular starters ended up on the injured list at one point or another. Despite their overall unimpressive statistics, the Mets stayed atop the NL East for the late spring and early summer months because of these replacement players timely heroics and defensive versatility.”

Starting Pitchers

Jacob deGrom

Grade: A+

“The shortened season and injury does not diminish the fact that deGrom deserves every bit of A+ grade he received here. If his name is written on some 2021 Cy Young ballots as a fourth or fifth place finisher, it wouldn’t be too shocking as the three months he did pitch were just that amazing.”

Marcus Stroman

Grade: A

“All in all, 2021 was a fantastic season for Stroman and if not for Jacob deGrom’s brilliance when he did pitch, would’ve made him the best pitcher on the team. Stro pitched at an very high level for the team this season and his consistency led to him not just being the defacto ace for the Mets for most of the season not missing a single start over the course of the year.”

Taijuan Walker

Grade: C

“Overall, it was a roller coaster of a season for Taijuan Walker, going from the highest of highs in him having the best first half of a season he’d ever had in his whole career and rightfully earning his first All-Star Game appearance, to the lowest of lows with him going 0-8 and allowing 20 home runs in the second half.”

David Peterson

Grade: D-

“Unfortunately, for Peterson and the Mets, there was regression instead of progression this past season. After making 15 lackluster starts, Peterson was injured twice ending his season.”

Carlos Carrasco

Grade: F

“Well, which injury do we start with? … Though the team won five of his 12 starts despite those results, he didn’t put the team in a great position to win on most occasions. Between the setbacks from the hamstring to how he performed once on the field, it was a disastrous season.”

Tylor Megill

Grade: B-

“Overall, Megill was a decent starter for the Mets when they needed it. Being overworked and inexperienced are likely the primary culprits for the downs he dealt with.”

Rich Hill

Grade: B+

“At the time of Hill’s acquisition, the Mets were ravaged by injuries. … This was a relatively low-risk move that paid off for the Mets in a big way despite the lack of a playoff position.”

Joey Lucchesi

Grade: B-

“Overall, once he found his footing after a rough May and short part of June, Lucchesi was on pace to put up a career season. In doing so, he would have settled in as a solid fourth or fifth starter for the Mets, filling a huge void the team had and ended up having given his [need for Tommy John surgery].”

Bullpen

Aaron Loup

Grade: A+

“Signed to a one-year deal after the 2020 season, Aaron Loup was never expected to be as good as he was in 2021. In fact, not only was Loup dominant from start to end this season, but he ended up producing one of the single-greatest seasons by a relief pitcher in franchise history.”

Edwin Diaz

Grade: B-

“In a season that saw so much go wrong for the team, especially in the second half, one of the brighter lights of the Mets’ 2021 campaign was whenever the music of Timmy Trumpets and Blasterjaxx echoed on the Citi Field loudspeaker. … That being said, his off days were truly heartbreaking, so a Díaz appearance was rarely without stress.”

Seth Lugo

Grade: C+

“If another reliever came in and put together the overall season that Lugo had in 2021, he would almost certainly get a better grade than a C+, but the inconsistency along with the dominance we have seen from Lugo in the past made his 2021 season feel much more underwhelming.”

Jeurys Familia

Grade: C

“Looking at his overall performance there isn’t anything that stands out as being out of the ordinary, but the expectations for Familia were insufficiently met. … The ERA was okay, but the home runs and walks really depleted his season.”

Trevor May

Grade: B

“Despite a miscue or two a month that resulted in an ugly statline, May mostly proved to be a reliable late-inning reliever, holding down the seven and eighth innings (depending on the game), and sometimes even getting work in the ninth.”

Drew Smith

Grade: B

“Despite missing all of April and September, Drew Smith proved to be an effective reliever when he found himself on the active roster. … Injury aside, the way Smith pitched in his final handful of games this season was a fantastic way to close out an overall successful 2021 for him.”

Miguel Castro

Grade: B-

“All in all, it was very solid season for Castro who did his job of giving the team quality innings and a level of reliability which was severely needed in years prior.”

Trevor Williams

Grade: B

“When the Mets acquired Williams alongside Báez, not much was expected of him. Despite being a minor part of a major trade, he gave New York quality innings in multiple roles throughout his two months with the team.”

Brad Hand

Grade: D

“Being on the team for just about a month, there were no expectations of Hand going into the 2021 season for the New York Mets. … When he was slotted into [a relief] spot after his signing in September, he was not the dominant reliever he once was…”

Ownership

Steve Cohen

Grade: A

“So if a so-so regular season is paired with a terrific offseason (so far) what grade do you give Steven Cohen? I give him an A- ( somewhat generously) for the season and a resounding A+ for the off-season giving him an aggregate A.”

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