MLB

Mets begin spring training with similar lineup despite big-money offseason

The starting rotation and bullpen are flush with new faces, but the Mets took a more conservative approach this winter with the lineup.

There was a late dash to sign Carlos Correa that ultimately never materialized, leaving the Mets with essentially the same lineup that finished last season. It’s a unit carried by Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo, Starling Marte and Jeff McNeil, but is it enough?

“I don’t know what changed other than you are paying Nimmo and McNeil a lot more money,” a National League talent evaluator said, referring to the new contract each player received.

Nimmo hit the free-agent market and received a four-year extension worth $50 million, buying out his final two years of arbitration eligibility and two years of free agency.

Maybe much doesn’t have to change, considering the Mets averaged 4.77 runs per game last season, which ranked fifth in MLB. The flip side is the team was flat offensively in getting swept three games by the Braves in the final week of the regular season — a series that ultimately crushed the Mets’ NL East title hopes — and again in losing the NL wild-card series to the Padres. Underscored was the team’s relative lack of power behind Alonso (40 homers) and Lindor (26 homers).

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But the Mets won 101 games with an offense that thrived on contact, particularly with two strikes. The Mets were third in MLB with 552 two-strike hits. But their average exit velocity of 88.2 mph ranked only 19th and the Mets ranked 21st with a hard-hit ball percentage of 37.1. It begs the question whether the Mets’ scoring productivity from last season is sustainable. Or were they just lucky?

“For me it shows the importance of contact, of putting the ball in play, because nothing good happens on a strikeout,” the talent evaluator said. “Some will tell you a strikeout is just another out, but I respectfully disagree because nothing good happens on a strikeout and when the ball is put in play anything can happen, and the Mets proved that last year. Their ability to make contact is real important and they will need to do it again this year.”

Most of the Mets’ offseason energy was expended on bolstering the rotation, which added Justin Verlander, Kodai Senga and Jose Quintana. Edwin Diaz returned to anchor the bullpen on a new five-year contract worth $102 million and the Mets traded for left-hander Brooks Raley and signed David Robertson before re-signing Adam Ottavino. The new position players are Omar Narvaez and Tommy Pham, who figure into complementary or backup roles, at catcher and in the outfield, respectively.

Mets third basemen Brett Baty, left, and Mark Vientos field balls at spring training on Feb. 13, 2023. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post

The wild card might be rookie Francisco Alvarez, whose right-handed bat could force his name into consideration at catcher/DH. But team brass wants the 21-year-old focused on his receiving skills this spring and could be inclined to start him at Triple-A Syracuse rather than bring him to Queens for just his bat.

The Mets agreed to terms with Correa, to play third base, after concerns about his right ankle scuttled his deal with the Giants. But the Mets ultimately had the same concerns and drastically modified their 12-year offer for $315 million. Correa signed instead with the Twins.

It leaves the Mets dependent on a rebound from Eduardo Escobar after a disappointing first season with the team. Escobar showed life in September by winning National League Player of the Month honors after returning from an injured list stint.

“I think we have a strong and deep lineup and I am confident in our group’s ability to score runs, but … you can always be better,” general manager Billy Eppler said earlier this offseason. “You have to look for opportunities out there and sometimes certain markets are a little bit quieter at certain times of the year, but you are always looking to get better. I do think we have a strong lineup as currently configured, but we can always be better.”

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