To not be hyperbolic, however the Mets may very well be on the verge of historical past. In accordance with MLB Community’s Sarah Langs, the Mets have by no means had three gamers hit 30 or extra residence runs in a season, however three hitters are projected to hit 30 dingers in 2025: Juan Soto (35), Mark Vientos (33) and Pete Alonso (36).
This illustrates the affect of Alonso’s return. Realistically, the Mets may very well be 4 30-homer hitters with the potential for 5. Francisco Lindor is coming off back-to-back seasons of 30 or extra, and if Brandon Nimmo faucets into the ability he did two years in the past, he might attain the identical peak, or at the very least come near it.
At the moment, Lindor is projected to hit 28 and Nimmo solely 18, however the Mets weren’t even projected to make the playoffs final 12 months and so they got here inside two video games of reaching the World Collection. The 2024 group prided itself on defying the chances and surprising the baseball world. The Mets are getting the band again along with the free agent signings of Alonso, Sean Manaea, Ryne Stanek and Jesse Winker (although sadly, they’re lacking the singer of the band with infielder Jose Iglesias, aka “Candelita,” nonetheless in the marketplace), so there could also be extra shock and awe in retailer for 2025.
Alonso is ready to return on a two-year $54 million pact with an opt-out after 2025, pending a bodily. His return brings extra thump to a lineup, higher positioning the Mets to compete with the heavy-hitting NL East groups in Philadelphia and Atlanta, and probably formidable sufficient to compete with the Los Angeles Dodgers within the postseason.
The 2 groups that hit probably the most regular-season residence runs of their respective leagues went on to achieve the World Collection. This isn’t unusual in at this time’s recreation, regardless of the expanded playoffs providing extra alternatives for groups to achieve the playoffs. The Mets slugged the sixth-most final season and the fourth-most within the NL with 207. The lengthy ball aided them considerably within the playoffs, with Alonso’s historic homer in Milwaukee sending the Mets to the NLDS, and Lindor’s grand slam towards the Phillies sending them to the NLCS. Vientos got here via with three within the NLCS towards the Dodgers, exhibiting he can deal with the strain of the playoffs.
So if that’s the case, who would supply the perfect safety for Soto within the lineup? There’s actually an argument to be made for Vientos, who needs to be extra snug than ever heading into the season. Lastly, Vientos is aware of his spot on the group is stable and he received’t should work out everywhere in the diamond. The Mets and Vientos each can relaxation straightforward figuring out he’ll man third base and proceed to develop on the scorching nook.
Alonso has extra plate appearances within the cleanup spot than anyplace else and their on-base numbers are comparable. After which there’s Nimmo, who hit leadoff till the Mets switched him and Lindor final season and the lineup began to surge. The Mets may need to maneuver him down within the order and take into account hitting him fifth. Even when that’s the case, it’s nonetheless a reasonably formidable prime 5.
From there, the Mets might slot in power-hitting catcher Francisco Alvarez at No. 6, platoon DHs Jesse Winker and Starling Marte within the seventh spot, and outfielders Tyrone Taylor and Jose Siri within the eighth spot. Jeff McNeil, who can hit up and down the lineup, slots in at No. 9.
The Mets are considerably extra highly effective with Alonso. He deepens the lineup and will see extra strikes hitting behind Soto. With a lot unknown on the subject of Brett Baty and Ronny Mauricio, the Mets badly wanted a heavy hitter to enrich Soto and to stack up higher towards the NL’s prime groups, particularly
The group that drafted and developed Alonso nonetheless wants him. It may not have been a straightforward negotiation for both celebration, however each events seemingly bought what they wanted.
