03-24-2024 MLB Preview - Flipbook - Page 34
MLB ’24 NL EAST PREVIEW NEW YORK METS
Sunday, March 24, 2024 34
2023: 75-87, fourth place | Manager: Carlos Mendoza (first season) | Opening Day: March 28 vs. Milwaukee
OVERVIEW
TOP HITTERS
1B Pete Alonso (.217, 46 HRs, 118 RBIs, .821 OPS), LF Brandon Nimmo (.274, 24, 68, .829 OPS), C Francisco Álvarez (.209, 25, 63,
.721 OPS), 2B Jeff McNeil (.270, 10, 55, .711 OPS).
PROJECTED ROTATION
LH José Quintana (3-6, 3.57 ERA in 13 starts), RH Kodai Senga
(12-7, 2.98, 202 Ks in 166 ⅓ IP), RH Luis Severino (4-8, 6.65 with
Yankees), LH Sean Manaea (7-6, 4.44, 1 save in 37 games, 10
starts, with Giants), RH Adrian Houser (8-5, 4.12 with Brewers),
RH Tylor Megill (9-8, 4.70 in 25 starts).
KEY RELIEVERS
RH Edwin Díaz (3-1, 1.31 ERA, 3⅔5 saves, 118 Ks, 18 BBs over 62
innings in 2022; missed last season following knee surgery), LH
Brooks Raley (1-2, 2.80, 3 saves), RH Adam Ottavino (1-7, 3.21, 12
saves), LH Jake Diekman (0-2, 3.34, 64 Ks in 56 ⅔ IP with White
Sox and Rays), RH Drew Smith (4-6, 4.15, 3 saves), RH Jorge
López (6-2, 5.95, 3 saves with Twins, Marlins and Orioles), RH
Shintaro Fujinami (7-8, 7.18, 2 saves in 64 games, 7 starts, with
Athletics and Orioles).
ONE TO WATCH
SS Francisco Lindor
(.254, 31, 98, .806
OPS, 31 SBs, 108 runs
in 160 games)
OUTLOOK
After falling flat last season despite the
biggest payroll in baseball history, this
team is under new management. Mets
owner Steve Cohen brought in Stearns,
who hired a rookie manager in Mendoza
— the former Yankees bench coach.
Alonso’s impending free agency next
winter will put him under a
microscope all year. But the lineup
could hinge on a bounce-back
season at age 35 for All-Star right
fielder Starling Marte, and the
maturation of young hitters
such as Álvarez, third baseman
Brett Baty and DH Mark
Vientos. This looks like a
third- or fourth-place
team in the NL East.
— Associated Press
ELSA/
GETTY
HE’S HERE
President of Baseball Operations David Stearns, RHP Luis Severino (left), LHP Sean Manaea, RHP Adrian Houser,
CF Harrison Bader, OF Tyrone Taylor, INF Joey Wendle, LHP Jake Diekman, RHP Jorge López, RHP Shintaro Fujinami,
RHP Michael Tonkin, RHP Yohan Ramírez, OF Trayce Thompson, INF Zack Short, RHP Max Kranick, LHP Kolton Ingram.
HE’S OUTTA HERE
Manager Buck Showalter, GM Billy Eppler, RHP Carlos Carrasco, DH Daniel Vogelbach, INF Luis Guillorme.
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