Port St. Lucie, Fla.: New York Mets infielder Pete Alonso warms up during a spring training workout, ... [+]
The last time the New York Mets won 100 games was 1988, when the club finished with a record of 100-60.
That team lost the National League Championship Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4 games to 3.
The Mets lost the World Series in 2015, when they were defeated by the Kansas City Royals, 4 games to 1.
This year, the Mets are comfortably perched at the top of the National League East, with the current World Series Champion Atlanta Braves poised as the major contender to somehow overtake them. With a record of 45-26, the Mets are 4.5 games ahead of the second place Braves.
The Mets and Braves will play 15 more times this season. All but five of those games are in Atlanta.
The Mets will play the Braves three times in Atlanta in July, five times at home in August, four more times at Atlanta in August, and three times at Atlanta, at the end of September and the first week of October.
Mets owner Steve Cohen has injected financial and human resources to a front office staff and roster depth that he promised when he bought the club for $2.4B.
This season, the Mets have undergone a major roster rejuvenation. General manager Billy Eppler and his staff added the following free-agent players to the Mets roster this offseason:
Max Scherzer-RHP
Starling Marte-OF
Eduardo Escobar-3B
Mark Canha-OF
Nick Plummer-OF
Pitcher Chris Bassitt was a major acquisition via trade with the Oakland Athletics.
In addition, six of the current eight bullpen pitchers were acquired in March and April, 2022.
Scherzer, 37, signed a 3-year, $130M contract to lead a very hefty Mets payroll.
This year, based upon the reporting of RosterResource, the Mets estimated payroll is $279M. Last year, the Mets were estimated to have spent $203M on player payroll.
The Mets will be subject to the MLB luxury tax. Teams that exceed $220M in payroll must pay a financial penalty. There are four luxury tax tiers, or thresholds. The first is $220M, the second $250M, the third $270M and the highest, and most expensive threshold kicks in at $290M.
New York Mets' Chris Bassitt pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the ... [+]
Mets Pitching:
The Mets have accomplished their outstanding success without right-handed All Star pitchers Max Scherzer and Jacob DeGrom, as both have spent considerable time on the Injured List.
Scherzer has a strained left oblique. He has progressed to starting a minor league rehabilitation assignment June 21. It should be noted that during his rehabilitation work in Florida, Scherzer was bitten on the right hand by his dog, but his injury was not serious, and it didn’t impact his return schedule.
deGrom, 34, was diagnosed with a stress reaction in his right shoulder at the end of spring training. He has been throwing bullpen sessions, and he may be able to return in early or mid-July.
Most recently, right-hander Tylor Megill, 26, went on the Injured List in mid-June with a strained shoulder. Megill had started 9 games for the Mets this year.
Joey Lucchesi, a right-hander that could be used as a starter or reliever, had Tommy John surgery in June 2021. He hasn’t been available since that operation.
Many clubs would have difficulty competing without two All Star pitchers missing from the top of their rotation. But the Mets have overcome those losses, and the team’s pitching has been solid.
Until his start June 22, Carlos Carrasco, 35, has had a particularly outstanding season.
Having returned at the beginning of the year from his own series of injuries, Carrasco has been remarkably consistent. At the start of play June 22, Carrasco had a record of 8-3, with A 4.42 ERA. However, Carrasco had a rough outing against the Houston Astros. He had to leave his June 22 start after 2.1 innings with lower back tightness. He had yielded five hits and four runs. His condition will be monitored closely.
As noted by MLB.com, the Mets rank 6th in the National League, with a 3.89 Earned Run Average.
The Mets 1.23 WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) also ranks 6th in the league.
The opposition is hitting .237 against Mets pitching, which also ranks 6th.
According to RosterResource, the Mets starting staff includes:
Carlos Carrasco-RHP
Tajuan Walker-RHP
Chris Bassitt-RHP
David Peterson-LHP
Trevor Williams-RHP, if needed
A strong bullpen, led by closer Edwin Diaz and including work equally distributed among Drew Smith, Seth Lugo, Adam Ottavino, Joely Rodriguez and more, have effectively supported the rotation.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 30: Starling Marte #6 of the New York Mets celebrates after hitting a 2-run ... [+]
Mets Offense:
The Mets offense has been led by right-handed hitting first baseman Pete Alonso. Alonso has already hit 20 home runs, and driven in 66 runs. A dangerous hitter, Alonso is prominently mentioned in discussions to be the starting National League first baseman for the All Star Game. It will likely be either Alonso or St. Louis Cardinals Paul Goldschmidt.
Switch-hitting Francisco Lindor has rebounded from a mediocre season last year to production more reminiscent of expectations. He is currently hitting .243 with 11 home runs and 52 RBIs.
The most commonly used Mets lineup is as follows:
Brandon Nimmo-CF
Starling Marte-RF
Francisco Lindor-SS
Pete Alonso-1B
Jeff McNeil-DH
Eduardo Escobar-3B
Mark Canha-LF
Luis Guillorme-2B
Tomas Nodo-C
JUPITER, FLORIDA - MARCH 21: Manager Buck Showalter #11 of the New York Mets looks on from the ... [+]
The Buck Showalter Factor:
Some of the Mets success can be attributed to Buck Showalter, their new manager.
Showalter last managed in 2018, when his Baltimore Orioles finished 47-115 in the American League.
To this scout, Showalter is the perfect manager for the Mets.
A seasoned field general in his 21st season at the helm of a big league club, Showalter is a no-nonsense skipper who demands sound fundamentals and a commitment from his players, that is equal to his own.
Little things mean a great deal to Showalter. He is prepared. He asks his players to be prepared. He is a stabilizing presence.
Showalter has managed the rival Yankees, the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Texas Rangers, the Baltimore Orioles, and now, the Mets.
Showalter was the first-ever manager of the Diamondbacks, ushering the expansion club to the National League in 1998.
Last season, Steve Cohen’s first as the team’s owner, the team endured chaotic moments. They have been well chronicled, but clearly, the Mets did not function in the vision of their new owner. Mr. Cohen’s changes of personnel at multiple levels have helped shape the type of team he has desired. Showalter is a major influence to the improved team chemistry.
The Mets may still be adding and subtracting to their roster as the August 2 trade deadline looms.
Heated Rivalry With The Yankees:
One of the greatest aspects of the surging Mets is the competition they have generated with the rival New York Yankees.
The Yankees record at the start of play June 23 is 51-18 .
The Yankees and Mets will meet July 26 and 27 at the Mets Citi Field and then again August 22 and 23 at Yankees Stadium. Those four games in the traditional “Subway Series” should highlight the rivalry at its peak.
The Yankees beat the Mets in the 2000 World Series, 4 games to 1, with the winning victory taking place at Shea Stadium, the name of the Mets home park at the time.
In many polls, the Yankees are viewed as the best team in baseball, with the Mets hovering right behind, in second place. Mets fans might disagree.
It would not surprise if the Mets and Yankees survive the postseason playoffs and meet in the World Series.
While the Mets payroll is estimated at $273M, the Yankees are estimated to be paying $247M in player payroll this year. Like the Mets, they too will be subject to the MLB luxury tax, but only at the first, and most inexpensive level.
For comparison sake, the Los Angeles Dodgers estimated 2022 payroll is $257M, or in the third level of the MLB luxury tax thresholds.
Conclusions:
Churning the roster by adding consequential hitters and pitchers, owner Steve Cohen and general manager Billy Eppler have crafted a balanced New York Mets roster that is challenging their greatest rivals, the New York Yankees, to become the MLB team with the best record in baseball.
Fans of both teams may be watching a preview of the 2022 World Series, with both of their local teams currently enjoying remarkable success.
