Last week I previewed the 2020 Mets bullpen. With number one starting pitcher Kodai Senga now on the shelf to start the season, we will save the starting rotation discussion for another day and instead focus on the starting lineup.
Point – without Senga at the top of rotation, unless the Mets make a deal to bring in one of the top free agent starters, Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery, the Met lineup will need to produce even more than they thought going into the season. There are some reasons to think that’s possible.
Let’s review all the free-agent everyday players the Mets brought in this off-season. The Mets are tied with the Dodgers in signing the most off-season free agents (nine). Only one of those – Harrison Bader, has a chance to be an everyday player. There were no trades for everyday players or pitchers. This means the 2024 Mets regular lineup will look much like the 75-87 2023 team. Add back in Starling Marte, deduct Daniel Vogelbach, and sprinkle in a long look at Mark Vientos at DH. Other than that, the recipe is the same.
Possible 2024 Mets everyday lineup
Brandon Nimmo will lead-off. Now in the 2nd year of his 8-year $160M contract, Nimmo had a very good 2024 and will now move to left field despite that he’s made himself into a plus defender in centerfield. Harrison Bader will take over in center and the thought is the Mets will be much better defensively with Nimmo in left and Bader in center with Marte around in right. Nimmo delivers what you want from the leadoff position – high on-base average and good at-bats early and late in the game. His increased power has come at the expense of what was a higher batting average. But he Nimmo slashed .274/.363/.466 in 2023 with 24 home runs. The team would be happy for a repeat.
Starling Marte was injured almost half of the 2023 season. Met fans have already forgotten how good Marte was in the #2 hole in 2022. He’s 35 and can’t be expected to play more than 120 games. Can they expect him to come close to 2022 when he put up.292/.347/.468 with 18 SB. He stole 24 bags in 2023 despite his struggles with injuries. The best version of the Met lineup had Marte batting 2nd behind Nimmo.
Francisco Lindor does everything you could ask for from a #3 hitter. He won the Silver Slugger in 2022 at shortstop and is in the prime of his career. Don’t forget that Lindor swiped 31 bags in 2022 to go with his 31 home runs.
Pete Alonso will not play any harder in 2024 despite that he’s apparently playing for a big contract either with the Mets or as a free agent. Pete Alonso goes full force every single game. Sure, you’d like the batting average and on-base average to be higher. That’s likely since Pete had some of the worst luck in 2023 hitting the ball hard too often right at a fielder. The only thing of concern is that Pete tries TOO hard. All teams should have a problem like that with their cleanup hitter.
Francisco Alvarez should be the #5 hitter behind Alonso. Talk about lineup protection! Alvarez led all catchers in MLB in home runs with 25 in 2023. With his willingness to learn Alvarez is only going to get better. It may not all come together this season but hey he’s 22 and won’t turn 23 until the end of this season.
Jeff McNeil in the 6th spot in the batting order is poised to return to his 2022 NL batting title form. McNeil is incredibly useful being able to play multiple positions both in the infield and outfield. Yet he’s penciled in to be the everyday second baseman in 2023 and that consistency in the field should help him at the plate. If Marte falters, McNeil goes right into the #2 hole.
Mark Vientos at #7 may bat even lower in the lineup but he will have first crack at the DH slot. D.J. Stewart can supplement, but Vientos should be given two months to prove he belongs in the lineup every day. Besides that, can you really bat your DH 8th or 9th? Had or if the Mets sign J.D. Martinez he and McNeil might be switched in the batting order.
Brett Baty knows this season is make or break time. He’s had chances and mostly flubbed them. Baty is a nice kid, works hard on both sides of the ball, but must hit and field markedly better this season. Without Rony Mauricio around if Baty falters there will be much too much Joey Wendle and that is expecting…too much.
Harrison Bader will bat 9th with no argument from anyone. Bader who will turn 30 this season, has good speed on the bases – when he gets on base. His .274 on base average in 2023 was alarming. Still, he plays a Gold Glove caliber centerfield and POBO David Stearns believes in old-fashioned strength up the middle and with Alvarez at catcher, Lindor and McNeil the keystone combo, the Mets are stronger than many up the middle. If it goes will with the bat, Bader at #9 in the order leading into Nimmo could be a dynamic duo.
For what it is worth, the Met bench will be better than it was in 2023. By how much is the question.
