President of baseball operations David Stearns has taken a number of actions in his first winter in control of the New York Mets to sculpt the team’s 2024 roster. Among the alleged gaps that haven’t been filled by an outside addition is that of designated hitter.
On February 1, Will Sammon of The Athletic wrote on how the front office presently sees this part of the regular lineup for the Mets. J.D. Martinez and Jorge Soler are two free-agent sluggers who might theoretically be obtained for a reasonable amount and instantly improve New York’s offense.
Although neither hitter is off limits, Sammon reports that the Mets will need to “dramatically drop” their asking prices in order to become “aggressive pursuers.” Which batters will split the bulk of DH at-bats in Queens during the 2024 season if that is the case? Sammon claims that a mix of DJ Stewart, Starling Marte, and Mark Vientos will be featured most of the time.
The Mets have been concerned about designated hitters since the Universal DH rule took effect at the beginning of 2022. In 1,588 plate appearances, the batters utilized at this position had a collective batting line of.223/.309/.374. According to FanGraphs, it has generated an OPS of.682, which is the sixth-worst in baseball.
How Much Would the Mets’ Prices Have to Drop?
The Mets have undoubtedly faced external pressure to capitalize on a sluggish free-agent market. Jon Heyman of the New York Post urged New York to sign Martinez or Soler, saying they “owe it to Pete Alonso” to provide him with proper lineup protection. Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report also projected on February 1 that Martinez would end up in New York.
What would have to happen if their respective values have to plummet in order for the Mets to take an interest?
MLB Trade Rumors released their top 50 free agent deal forecasts on November 6. They projected Soler would sign a three-year, $45 million contract and Martinez to sign a two-year, $40 million one. Stearns’ offseason actions suggest that New York would only be very interested in a one-year commitment.
Starting pitcher Sean Manaea is the only player to sign a multi-year contract with the Queens this offseason. Although he inked a two-year, $28 million contract, not even the second season is assured. Spotrac states that it is a player choice.
An Examination of New York’s Estimated DH Production for 2024
In 2023, Daniel Vogelbach was New York’s designated hitter and had the majority of at-bats. In 319 plate appearances, he hit.233/.339/.404 with 13 home runs and 48 RBI.
In keeping with Vientos, Marte, and Stewart, the following is what FanGraphs’ ZiPS forecasts state may be expected from them in 2024:
- Vientos: .238/.300/.428 with 20 home runs and 67 RBI
- Marte: .264/.323/.391 with nine home runs and 44 RBI
- Stewart: .218/.294/.369 with 12 home runs and 43 RBI
During an interview with Heyman and Joel Sherman of the New York Post on the “The Show” podcast on January 10, Stearns stated that the Mets were unwilling to deny young guys the chance to distinguish themselves by bringing in a veteran.
What finally transpires will depend on how the market develops. However, this appears to be a perfect opportunity for Vientos to demonstrate his abilities. Right now, Marte is expected to start at right field. Infielder Ronny Mauricio is recovering from an ACL tear, so Brett Baty and Vientos will have more opportunities to bat.
As of right now, ZiPS projects Vientos to have an OPS of.728 in 2024. That would be a significant rise throughout his career.610 OPS, which would greatly improve the Mets lineup.