The Mets club, which has a lot to prove in 2024, could not find all the solutions in the first half of Major League Baseball’s offseason. Officials from the team have frequently referred to ’24 as a “bridge” year, one that will hopefully allow New York to contend for a postseason berth while simultaneously concentrating on the development of its farm system. It’s unclear if that idea will work or not. Just a little of it has made sense thus far.
That means there are a lot of exciting things to anticipate during the season, along with a few unanswered issues that will eventually be resolved. Usually quiet, this holiday week provides a chance to consider the Mets’ situation going into 2024.
The most important query to resolve before to Spring Training
How do the Mets get adequate depth in their rotation?
The squad acquired Luis Severino in November after reaching an early agreement with him, and then acquired Adrian Houser just before Christmas. Along with José Quintana, the current starter, both of those pitchers have recently struggled with serious ailments. A reliable supply of innings for the last two years, David Peterson, will probably miss several months while healing from a damaged hip labrum.
Both their ceiling and their floor will be greatly influenced by how much the Mets add to that bunch.
One athlete is expected to make a breakthrough year.
When Francisco Alvarez was brought back to the Majors by the Mets in April, he was still incredibly raw at the age of 21. Still, the rookie from Venezuela had moments of genius and better-than-expected defensive ability.
Alvarez, however, had a.209/.284/.437 final slash line, which left him with plenty of space to grow. Now that he has served for more than a full year and has gained some extra physical maturity, Alvarez fits the description of a player who could become a star in 2024. The Mets will provide him with every chance to do so.
An interesting prospect for 2024
Mike Vasil is especially intriguing to a team in desperate need of pitching assistance. Vasil, the team’s eighth-round selection in the 2021 MLB Draft, performed admirably in his first experience in the upper Minors the previous season, amassing a 3.71 ERA in 10 starts at Double-A Binghamton.
Vasil, who is ranked ninth by MLB Pipeline among the Mets’ prospects, suffered a little after being promoted to Triple-A Syracuse in the middle of the season, but he still fits the profile of the pitcher most likely to have a big impact in 2024. He might set himself up for a first-half season debut with a successful spring.
One forecast for the upcoming year
In 2024, the Mets will have improved from their ’23 season.
To be honest, this shouldn’t be too big of a jump. The Mets’ projected (Pythagorean) record for this season was 80-82 based on run differential, which is five games better than their actual record of 75-87. In January, they will have All-Star closer Edwin Díaz returning, and they should keep accumulating pitching depth. There is a potential for younger players like Alvarez, Brett Baty, and Mark Vientos to succeed.
Even if the Mets’ final potential may still be uncertain, they will undoubtedly be a better team and have a chance to contend for a National League Wild Card berth.