In an alternate reality, the Mets would have been eliminated from the playoff picture before the All-Star break and would have had to pivot to the evaluation phase of their season.
But that begs the question: What exactly will the Mets value?
The ideal scenario for team executives would have been for players like Luis Angel Acuna, Drew Gilbert, Jett Williams, Mike Vasil or Dom Hamel to join the team this season and potentially audition for 2025.
But a combination of injuries and poor performances made it a nearly lost season for the Mets from a development standpoint, which could create an interesting offseason dynamic with the veteran players the Mets acquired last winter filling some needed holes before next year.
For example, would the Mets consider retaining Harrison Bader while they wait for more clarity on players like Gilbert and Williams? In the rotation, could they pursue long-term retention of one or more of a group of players with expiring contracts that includes Luis Severino, Jose Quintana and Sean Manaea (who will almost certainly exercise his opt-out rights)?
If the Mets had given up on this season, players like Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, Bader, Severino and Quintana could have been traded at the trade deadline.
That would leave a void as many of the team’s top prospects try to prove they can compete in Triple-A, let alone the major leagues, and some are working their way back to health, including Christian Scott, who had a good season with the Mets before being sidelined with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament.
Of course, had the Mets traded Alonso, they might have gotten back in return the kind of talent we’re seeing at Citi Field right now — or maybe a player who’s still a few years away.
The Mets are well positioned to compete for a postseason berth, and their midseason success has shifted fans’ attention away from the future and toward qualifying for the tournament in October.
So what does the next generation look like? Let’s take a look at some of the most promising talent to watch.
Acuña: The 22-year-old infielder got off to a slow start to his Triple-A season, struggling in July after an upturn in his performance, but he’s been coming back to form recently. His speed has a lot of upside, and he’s stolen 31 bases, but Acuna’s .311 on-base percentage is a concern. He could be promoted in September to provide some energy off the bench, but his minutes will likely overlap with Jose Iglesias.
Brett Batty: He had a shot at being the Mets’ starting third baseman at the start of the season, but struggled. Mark Vientos was brought in and took the position in a big way. It was a win for player development, but the question remains whether the 24-year-old Batty will be a regular for the Mets or just a Quad-A talent. Batty has been a success at Triple-A Syracuse, but the Mets just don’t have a place for him.
Gilbert: The plan a little more than a year ago when the Mets acquired Gilbert from Houston in the Justin Verlander trade was for him to be ready to play for the Mets by early 2025. But that timeline now seems in doubt. Gilbert missed most of the season with a right hamstring injury and has struggled since returning, posting a .632 OPS overall, which was compounded by him being hit in the groin area by a pitch on Wednesday.
Williams: Last season’s Team Most Valuable Player underwent right wrist surgery in June, which pushed his focus to 2025. Williams, who appeared in just 11 games for Double-A Binghamton, may not have been ready to contribute at the major league level this season anyway, but now his timeline could slip to 2026.
Ronnie Mauricio: The first big blow for the Mets came over the winter when Mauricio tore his ACL while playing in the Dominican Republic. He could have contributed to the Mets at third and second base this season, but it would have impacted the availability of Vientos and Iglesias (both of whom have been productive).
Vasil: Once considered the best of the Mets’ young pitching staff, the right-hander has since been surpassed by the likes of Scott and Brandon Sproat, but Vasil struggled at Syracuse, allowing 112 hits and posting a 5.31 ERA in 22 appearances and 103 ⅓ innings.
Hamel: The 2022 team pitcher of the year has struggled with walks this season, posting a 6.66 ERA at Syracuse University.
Awards season may be quiet
Francisco Lindor is probably the Mets’ best hope in the award race, but he’ll need to put in some big numbers to be a legitimate contender for MVP, with Shohei Ohtani, Ketel Marte and Bryce Harper all in the running.
Lindor’s WAR of 5.1 is fourth among NL position players. Ohtani (37 homers, 35 stolen bases) is the favorite, but will voters take into account him being a DH outright?
How far out of the Cy Young Award race are the Mets? Sean Manaea has the best WAR among pitchers with 2.1, ranking 50th in the MLB in that category. Next on the Mets is Jose Butt, who is 78th with 1.7 WAR.
Carlos Mendoza could still emerge as a candidate for Manager of the Year, but so could most teams in postseason contention.
If the Brewers win the NL Central (and they are the only winning team in the division), it may be hard to ignore Pat Murphy, who is in his first season as manager after Craig Counsell left for the Cubs.
Sunday is…Roku Day?
The Mets’ 12:05 p.m. Sunday game against the Marlins will be broadcast on Roku, which replaced Peacock this season in gaining streaming rights to Sunday week’s games.
For many Mets fans, that will mean tuning in to the radio.
It’s bad enough that fans can’t watch local TV coverage during the week, but shouldn’t weekends be sacred ground?
Obviously not.
