New York Mets

2024 record: 89-73

Third place NL East

Team ERA: 3.96 (15th in MLB)

Team OPS: .734 (9th in MLB)

What went well

For a while, I felt like nothing could or would go right for this Mets team. They were 24-34 on June 1 – the third-worst record in the National League – after a nightmarish May that included a bunch of blown saves, dramatic losses and a viral tantrum.

Then everything changed in June when a certain purple, McDonald’s mascot with cosmic powers graced the Mets with a divine presence that changed their season.

Even more, manager Carlos Mendoza changed his lineup in mid-May to put Francisco Lindor first and make Mark Vientos the everyday third baseman. These two changes made them one of the most powerful lineups in baseball.

Lindor erased a .195/.268/.362 slash line through May 18 – the day he became the leadoff hitter – to finish the season with 33 home runs, 29 stolen bases, 107 runs scored, 91 RBI and an .844 OPS over 152 games. He would have had his second straight 30-30 season if not for a season-ending back injury. Additionally, his 137 wRC+ was the highest mark of his entire career. Which is funny, because I always heard his best seasons were in Cleveland.

Then there is Vientos. He was arguably the best offensive third baseman in the National League after being promoted. His .837 OPS was the best of any NL third baseman with at least 300 plate appearances and he added 27 home runs in 111 games to boot. The good times continued for him in the postseason with five more home runs and 14 RBIs. Looking back, he became the linchpin of the Mets’ magical run.

Otherwise, the rest of the offense was mediocre, aside from the ageless José Iglesias. Like Vientos, Iglesias became a starter in early June and never stopped hitting. His .337 batting average was the highest in baseball for any player with at least 250 PA and his .830 OPS set a new career high without 2020. Additionally, he released the hit single “OMG” which became a rallying cry for the Mets. ‘ clubhouse and featured Pitbull on a remix in October. Special would be an understatement for his season.

On the pitching side, Sean Manaea had by far the best season of his career and became the ace of this Mets team. He recorded a career-high 181 2/3 and crossed the 200-inning plateau when including his postseason work. With that, he has completed six innings in 13 of his last 17 starts and has likely put himself in position for a nice payday this winter.

Manaea was flanked by Luis Severino, David Peterson and Jose Quintana in this surprisingly effective Mets rotation.

Severino started 30 games for the first time since 2018 and led this rotation with 182 IP. Although he’s no longer elite, his 3.91 ERA was passable and he showed that his slider – now classified as a sweeper – is one of the most devastating pitches in the league.

Peterson recovered from hip labrum surgery midseason and had a 2.91 ERA in 21 starts and 121 IP. The Mets went 15-6 in games he started.

Finally, Quintana had a rough season through August and September where he pitched nearly 30 straight scoreless innings and pushed his regular season ERA to 3.75. It was truly a diverse group that got the job done.

What didn’t work

Nothing has really gone wrong for this Mets team. They got mediocre performances from presumed stars like Brandon Nimmo and Pete Alonso, but Nimmo was obviously dealing with injuries for most of the second half and Alonso was the star he always was. playoffs.

Kodai Senga’s string of injuries has been unfortunate. His rehabilitation from a shoulder problem in spring training was slower than expected, and he sprained his calf in the sixth inning of the only start he would make in the regular season. Just consider this one a lost season for him.

On the surface, it felt like there was something wrong with Edwin Díaz. He was removed from the closer role in May after a series of blown saves, then had a stretch in August in which he blew two back-breakers against the Diamondbacks and Padres, respectively. Still, his ERA finished at 3.52 with a 3.02 FIP and 2.59 xFIP to indicate some bad luck and his 38.9 K% was the second highest among all qualified relievers in the league. It’s a good season overall.

Again, it’s not that these things went wrong, but Francisco Alvarez, Jeff McNeil, JD Martinez, Jesse Winker, and Starling Marte each had back-to-back seasons that were up and down and ended around league average at the end.

Fantastic inclinations

Lindor is one of the most stable assets in fantasy. He strives to play 162 games each year, will be at the top of a very good lineup, will hit around 30 home runs and steal around 30 bases. The ceiling and floor are remarkably close together for a projected top-20 pick.

Vientos will be interesting to watch heading into draft season. This is a one-dimensional profile focused solely on power, without even a full season of elite production. However, he dispelled almost all doubts in just 111 games by significantly improving his pitch selection – his SEGER went from the 24th to the 78th percentile – and shot more fly balls. Both allowed him to access his power more consistently, even with many swing-and-misses in his profile. It appears he will settle in around the Royce Lewis, Jordan Westburg and Spencer Steer levels after the high-end third basemen come off the board.

Senga should be ready to go in spring training after appearing three times in the postseason. He struggled through those appearances, however, walking seven batters and allowing seven earned runs in five innings. This shouldn’t change your view of him, as he’s still a top-40 starting pitcher on the board with serious strikeout potential.

There are fears that Alonso’s bad year is part of a wider trend. His strikeout rate has increased for three straight seasons after dropping in each of his first four. More worryingly, he did less damage on pitches in the heart of the zone and seemed to grip the bat a little too much all year with free agency approaching.

Nimmo has had an all-time frustrating season. He exploded in the first half with 16 home runs and an .815 OPS, but hit .190 after the break and saw his power evaporate. It emerged during the playoffs that he suffered from plantar fasciitis and was visibly limping during most of the NLCS. Unfortunately, injuries have always been a part of his profile and this magical, healthy season with power, speed (he stole a career-high 15 bases) and batting average from him may never arrive.

Manaea’s breakout was disallowed because of an arm slot adjustment he made midseason after watching Chris Sale throw and lowering his release point to imitate him. He said it helped him get under his two-seam jersey so he had even more life at the top of the zone. The whole package is extremely unique and he could repeat his performance wherever he decides to sign this offseason.

Peterson’s value may primarily come from the expectation that he will enter next season with a rotation spot still in a good ballpark, with a good defense behind him and backed by a good roster. Volume is key and he’ll likely have it as long as he’s efficient enough to justify it. Don’t expect another ERA that starts with two.

Alvarez didn’t make the big step forward that many expected. He had times this season where growth seemed evident, then he would go weeks without a competent at-bat as he oddly moved away from home plate to cover his hole from top to bottom. Then he was the victim of other low and far throws. It feels like growing pains and it’s easy to forget that he played the entire season at 22 years old. He played the 12th most games and tied for the second most home runs among all catchers in the Live Ball era before turning 23. He is once again a breakout candidate for these historical precedents alone.

Diaz should and will be seen as a high-end closer again. Many have overlooked what it took for him to come back from the torn patella tendon he suffered in the World Baseball Classic and it took him much of the season to calm down his mechanics. He didn’t break the 100 MPH threshold until late summer and struggled to maintain that speed after sitting at 99 MPH during his stellar 2022 season. success as the season progressed by trusting his fastball more. Just because he’s no longer the most electric pitcher on the planet doesn’t mean he’s not a trustworthy option.

Key free agents

Pete Alonso, Sean Manaea, Luis Severino, Jesse Winker, Harrison Bader, Jose Iglesias, JD Martinez, José Quintana, Brooks Raley, Ryne Stanek, Phil Maton, Drew Smith

Team needs

The Mets need bodies. 10 players on their NLCS roster are free agents, including almost their entire starting rotation. Senga should be back, which helps. Manaea and Severino also each received the qualifying offer, with Manaea expected to decline and Severino up in the air. They need to fill out their rotation and bullpen as best they can to support Lindor, Vientos, Alvarez and Nimmo.

Then there is the question of Juan Soto and the impact this will have on Alonso. It seems like Steve Cohen, David Stearns and every Mets fan has their eyes on Soto. And for the record, they should. He will be one of the most talented players ever available in our lifetimes and the whole point of having the richest owner in baseball is to recruit players like him.

Most teams can’t go into the offseason knowing they’re $142 million below the third luxury tax threshold and expect to spend that much on the current roster. Maybe the Mets can, which means they can add Soto to transform this lineup and still be involved with Alonso, high-end pitching and the other depth options this team needs to make another run in deep playoffs.