Baseball is back.
After the coronavirus pandemic put American sports on hold for several months, Major League Baseball has finally emerged with a plan to return in 2020.
Back in March, I was ecstatic to see my beloved New York Mets begin their arduous 162-game trek to October glory. Fast forward to the present day, and the Mets will now be playing a 60-game schedule in the hopes of reaching the postseason.
It’s been a while since the Mets were in action, so it’s understandable if you’ve forgotten a thing or two about the current team. Below is a refresher course on the 2020 Mets, from their newest additions to their options at DH.
New Additions
In case you couldn’t recall, Luis Rojas is entering his first season as manager of the Mets. The son of former big league skipper Felipe Alou, Rojas managed more than one thousand games over eight seasons in the minors.
In 2019, Rojas served as a conduit between the Mets’ front office and dugout, relaying advanced statistical information to players in his role as the team’s quality control coach. Rojas’s communication skills have been lauded by several current Mets, which bodes well for his future in New York.
Of course, Rojas isn’t the only one who will be donning the orange and blue for the first time. Veteran righties Rick Porcello and Michael Wacha were signed to one-year deals this offseason to fortify the pitching staff. Before the initial Spring Training held in Port St. Lucie came to an abrupt end, there was speculation as to which pitcher would be the fifth starter.
That conversation was rendered moot when it was revealed that Noah Syndergaard had opted to undergo Tommy John surgery. With Thor sidelined for the entire 2020 campaign, Porcello and Wacha will be granted rotation spots.
Another crucial arm added by GM Brodie Van Wagenen is right-hander Dellin Betances, who makes his Queens debut after spending close to a decade in the Bronx. Betances suffered a torn ACL in 2019, limiting him to just two batters faced. When healthy, Betances misses bats like few others. The six-foot-eight behemoth has the distinction of being the only reliever in MLB history to strike out at least 100 batters in five straight seasons, doing so from 2014 to 2018.
Rounding out the club’s major new additions are infielder Eduardo Núñez and center fielder Jake Marisnick. Though not much of a hitter (career 80 OPS+), Marisnick’s ability to cover ground makes him a worthy replacement for the departed Juan Lagares.
The Mainstays
Believe it or not, the Mets were 20 games over .500 after the 2019 All-Star break, with a record of 46-26. In order to sustain that success, the Amazin’s will need Pete Alonso to avoid a sophomore slump. The Polar Bear exceeded all expectations last season, shattering records left and right while galvanizing the fan base with his “LFGM” mantra.
Alonso is only human, however. For the Mets to make the most of the abbreviated season, others will need to step up when the first baseman falters. By this point, it’s obvious that superutility stud Jeff McNeil is an annual threat to make a run at the batting title. While McNeil figures to start most games at third base, his versatile glove will allow Luis Rojas to move him around the diamond when needed.
Also playing a significant role in the club’s offensive outlook is J.D. Davis. Davis was an unknown quantity when the Mets brought him over in a five-player trade with Houston. In his debut season in Flushing, Davis ranked in the majors’ 90th percentile in exit velocity and 97th percentile in terms of expected batting average. He also produced a 1.078 OPS at Citi Field, good for the highest home OPS in franchise history.
The Mets’ second-half success in 2019 was a true team effort, with rookies and veterans alike pushing the club to contention. Shortstop Amed Rosario finally displayed the kind of dynamic athleticism that scouts rave about, and finished the year with the most singles (125) and road hits (104) of any player in the National League. Michael Conforto recorded the first 30-homer season of his young career, and Dominic Smith enjoyed a breakout campaign until being sidelined with a foot injury.
Even veterans Wilson Ramos and Robinson Canó — whose first-half performances left much to be desired — came through when they were needed the most. Ramos strung together a 26-game hit streak, and Canó posted a respectable .880 OPS during the season’s final months.
On the pitching side, the primary focus in 2020 will be on Jacob deGrom and his pursuit of a third straight National League Cy Young award. The “Ace of Aces” will look to join Tom Seaver as the only Mets pitchers to earn the honor three different times.
Milestones Within Reach
Michael Conforto enters 2020 needing just 16 home runs at Citi Field to pass Lucas Duda as the ballpark’s all-time home run leader. Unfortunately, the abbreviated schedule means that Conforto will have to wait until next season to reach that particular milestone. He can, however, reach 500 career hits by adding nine to his ledger.
There are other major milestones within reach for Mets players this year. Wilson Ramos, for example, needs just one RBI to have 500 for his big league career. Similarly, innings eater Rick Porcello is only one victory shy of having 150 career wins.
As for Robinson Canó, he’s five hits away from having the fifth-most by a player born in the Dominican Republic. Currently, the only Dominican-born players with more hits than the Mets second baseman are Albert Pujols, Adrian Beltre, Vladimir Guerrero, Julio Franco, and Manny Ramirez.
Though the 60-game slate will offer few opportunities for individual achievements, players can still use the season to add to their cumulative totals.
DH Options
The 2020 season will be highly unusual, and not just because of the insanely short length. For the first time in major league history, there will be a designated hitter in the National League. The implementation of the DH should be advantageous for the Mets, who have several viable options for the position.
Yoenis Céspedes is the most intriguing option for the role, provided he’s healthy enough to swing the bat on a regular basis. Céspedes has played just 119 games since the start of 2017, and he missed all of last season thanks to an encounter with a wild boar at his ranch. His history of foot and leg injuries suggests that his mobility will be limited, and that his outfield defense could be a liability as a result. If Céspedes has anything left in the tank, the Mets offense will benefit greatly.
In addition to Céspedes, the Mets have Dominic Smith and J.D. Davis as DH options. Smith, a natural first baseman, is blocked by Pete Alonso at that spot. He played 45 games in left field last year, and while no one could fault his effort, his routes to fly balls were less than efficient. Smith’s production off the bench, including a career .347 average in games he did not start, suggests that he could be a productive DH.
Like Smith, J.D. Davis is an infielder who spent most of 2019 roaming the outfield. The Mets need his bat in the lineup as often as possible, so he’ll undoubtedly be asked to DH on occasion. Overall, the Mets are better equipped to deal with this rule change than many other National League clubs.
Searle’s Final Say
Contrary to the usual saying, the 2020 season will be a sprint, not a marathon. Every game matters, and the Mets have a difficult schedule to navigate. Though Luis Rojas has plenty of challenges in store for him, the Mets roster he’s inherited is built to win now. If the boys stay hot on offense and closer Edwin Díaz returns to form, fans could be in for an amazin’ October.
