The third place, 10-8 .556 New York Mets have a potentially great season up ahead. With the offense thriving and the starting pitching doing way better than expected, it’s evident things are looking good right now. Here’s 4 reasons things could be better than expected.
If anyone recalls, the team pulled off a dreadful finish post trade deadline last season, where the team parted ways with star talent such as Mark Canha, Tommy Pham, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer.
The team clearly opted for a more youthful approach, with the core of the team on the field being then rookies Mark Vientos, 3B/DH, catcher Fransisco Alvarez, 3B/SS Ronny Mauricio, and 3B Brett Baty.
Baty was nothing short of abysmal last year. It’s safe to say he did not have the rookie season everyone was expecting, as his demotion came about soon after. Baty finished the season with 9 home runs, 34 RBIs, batting .212 with a .275 OBP.
Fielding mishaps were prevalent for the rookie at the time, causing fans to grow irate.
While this season is progressing, several guys are starting off very strong. Baty has turned it around completely and Alvarez is definitely having a great sophomore year.
The starting pitching rotation, most notably Jose Butto and Luis Severino, have dazzled. Butto has a 2-0 record with a 0.75 ERA, and Severino has a 2-1 record with a 2.14 ERA this season.
The offensive is delivering, with the Mets sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates recently. The bats look alive. Yes, it’s early. It still is impressive a year after rebuilding. Especially impressive after how the team played after last season’s trade deadline.
To put things into perspective, there are several key factors that indicate the team could have much better of a season than previously projected. The Atlanta Braves have taken a hit when Ace Spencer Strider was sadly announced to be out for the season. It’s unfortunate that several Braves are injured. The Mets potentially could capitalize on the other teams in the division struggling. They could sneak past the Braves, if the team stays hot. Either way, second place is great.
Mets Madness 