Last night, the Mets signed veteran designated hitter J.D. Martinez to a one-year, $12 million contract—doing something that, for the most part, felt like something they should have done throughout the most of the offseason. This is a major addition to the lineup for the squad, who desperately needed a solid bat to bat somewhere in the middle of the order, ideally behind Pete Alonso.
Francisco Alvarez has more than enough pop in his bat if he improves as an all-around hitter. It will also be very beneficial if Jeff McNeil or Starling Marte return to something like their 2022 forms and nothing like their 2023 forms. And great if Brett Baty figures it out in the big leagues. However, considering his past success and current form, Martinez is unquestionably one of the Mets’ greatest hitters at the moment.
Here is a predicted starting lineup for the 2023 season based on the Roster Resource at FanGraphs, along with each player’s wRC+:
Brandon Nimmo, 130 wRC+
Francisco Lindor, 121 wRC+
Pete Alonso, 121 wRC+
J.D. Martinez, 135 wRC+
Jeff McNeil, 100 wRC+
Starling Marte, 76 wRC+
Francisco Alvarez, 97 wRC+
Brett Baty, 68 wRC+
Harrison Bader, 70 wRC+
That lineup still has problems right now. However, it’s far simpler to understand how the Mets may succeed in 2024 if even one of the bottom five hitters were to excel, as that would at least give them above-average hitters in the bulk of their lineup spots. Things would appear even better should someone significantly surpass expectations, which could include not only the veterans but also potential major league debuts by Drew Gilbert, Luisangel Acuña, or perhaps Jett Williams.
Regarding players who have trained with the Mets in spring training in an attempt to earn a position on the club as a designated hitter, it wouldn’t be shocking if Jiman Choi or Luke Voit choose to opt out of their contracts. Additionally, Mark Vientos, who still has options, might open the season in Triple-A or make the bench.
Based on what appears to be a potential projected lineup, it seems that Baty and Vientos might be considered the weakest links. However, having Bader in the 9th spot seems perfectly acceptable, considering his reliability as a strong performer. He’s essentially like having a second primary hitter, capable of getting on base and utilizing his speed to potentially steal bases, while players like Nimmo and McNeil can capitalize on driving him in. Of course, Bader’s ability to stay healthy will be crucial for maintaining this strategy effectively.
Regarding the rotation, there’s a consensus that another solid addition is needed. Once Senga returns, the team might opt to stick with a six-man rotation, possibly retaining McGill within it. However, McGill will need to elevate his performance to fill this role effectively. It’s premature to entertain thoughts of a World Series at this stage; it’s simply not on the radar. However, a Wild Card spot certainly seems within reach, while winning the division appears to be a more distant possibility for now.
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