Meet the 2016 Mets, favorites to win the NL East.
For the first time in at least eight years, the Mets are headed to spring training as “team to beat” in the division, a status earned through a young rotation’s development and last season’s surprising pennant run.
Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz spearhead a rotation that might be the game’s best, and Yoenis Cespedes’ return for $27.5 million — he can opt out from the ensuing two years on his new contract — should add spice to a decent lineup.
Mets pitchers and catchers have a Wednesday report date in Port St. Lucie, Fla., and full-squad workouts begin the following week.
“They look pretty good on paper,” said a major league talent evaluator who has scouted the Mets. “They need more depth, though.”
But the talent evaluator also envisions the Mets outlasting the Nationals to win a second straight NL East crown.
“I think it will be close,” he said. “I don’t think it’s a runaway by any means.”
Do the Mets have an obvious weakness?
“Nobody has talked too much about the lack of range up the middle,” the evaluator said. “[Neil] Walker and [Asdrubal] Cabrera are decent players, but their range is below average, laterally.”
Walker, who arrived in a December trade that sent Jon Niese to the Pirates, will face the most scrutiny as Daniel Murphy’s replacement. Last year, Walker had a .269/.328/.427 slash line with 16 homers and 71 RBIs. The 30-year-old Pittsburgh native was Plan B for the Mets after they whiffed in their pursuit of Ben Zobrist, who signed with the Cubs.
Cabrera arrived to the Mets on a two-year deal worth $18.5 million and will become the primary shortstop based on his bat. Defensively, he has slipped in recent seasons, meaning Ruben Tejada could become the late-inning replacement at the position.
The corner infield positions bring their own set of question marks.
David Wright missed most of last season rehabbing from spinal stenosis and likely will face a reduced workload at third base even if he is healthy — manager Terry Collins suggested over the winter that 135 games could be the target for Wright.
Lucas Duda disappeared in the middle of last season then hit the disabled list before scuffling through October. Even so, the slugging first baseman finished with 27 homers and showed he could handle left-handed pitching. The Mets would like more consistency from Duda.
The outfield should be considered a strength, led by Cespedes — who hit 18 homers after arriving at the trade deadline from the Tigers — and Curtis Granderson, who was the team’s most consistent offensive player last season. Michael Conforto arrived from Double-A in late July and flourished. His next step will be showing the Mets he is an everyday player.
Travis d’Arnaud’s challenge will be staying healthy for a full year behind the plate, following a 2016 season in which he played just 67 games. When d’Arnaud played, he produced — posting an .825 OPS.
Jeurys Familia emerged as a dominant ninth-inning force after Jenrry Mejia was suspended for a failed drug test last April (Mejia subsequently banned for life on Friday after a third violation). But the key to the Mets’ season could hinge upon relievers Antonio Bastardo, Addison Reed and Hansel Robles in the setup role. The wild card might be Rafael Montero, who has possibilities as a starter and reliever.
“I think he’s a bullpen guy,” the evaluator said.
No starting rotation in baseball has more flash than the deGrom, Harvey, Syndergaard and Matz quartet, and Zack Wheeler’s return from Tommy John surgery should only bolster that unit. In the meantime, 42-year-old Bartolo Colon should be an ample placeholder.
The Mets won the NL East with 90 victories last season, finishing seven games ahead of the Nationals, but probably shouldn’t count on such an easy ride in 2016.
“The Nationals had so many injuries last year,” the evaluator said. “You wouldn’t expect that to happen again.”