Inside the Mets: Mailbag Volume 1
The New York Mets are in a pretty decent spot as of June 8. And despite the slew of injuries they've suffered, they've somehow managed to go 29-23 through the first 52 games of the regular season.
Not only that, but they are also leading the NL East by 3.5 games.
With an off day on Monday, Mets beat reporter Pat Ragazzo answered fan questions for Inside the Mets' first ever edition of the Inside the Mets' Mailbag!
Gabriel Pariente- @GabFan22: What do you think about the performance of the coaching staff and specifically Luis Rojas over the first 2 months of the season?
While Luis Rojas has taken a ton of heat from the fan base at times, he has actually done a nice job steering the ship through adversity in the first two months plus.
Due to various injuries, the Mets were forced to use a total of 21 different position players last month, and still finished with a record of 17-9 in May. Not to mention, this included a span, where Jacob deGrom and Taijuan Walker were on the IL, leaving Marcus Stroman and an inconsistent David Peterson as the only two legitimate starters in the rotation at a point.
Rojas has definitely made his fair share of mistakes, but what manager hasn't? As far as his in-game decision making is concerned, he is actually showing a lot of improvement in his second year as the skipper. Above all else, a manager who learns from his past mistakes is a manager who will be able to grow.
There is still a long road ahead, but Rojas has done a nice job overall.
Mikey- @Mikey_Wills: How concerned are you with rotation depth? I know we’ve been stringing together some good starts with our lower end rotation guys, but I’m not sure it’s sustainable. Any trade targets to help with this that you see?
Great question, Mikey. The top three pitchers in the Mets' rotation have been dominant. However, Peterson, who has shown flashes of brilliance at times, has struggled with consistency and command. Joey Lucchesi has served as the opener in the No. 5 spot of course, and after a rough start to the season with his 9.19 ERA, the left-hander has been on a roll lately. In his last three outings, Lucchesi has allowed just two earned runs in 12.1 innings.
Although I believe Peterson will turn it around, the Mets cannot count on Carlos Carrasco or Noah Syndergaard to fill a spot in the rotation given the uncertainty surrounding their health status. The team clearly needs to add another starter before the trade deadline and there are a few options out there that they could potentially pursue.
Regarding some of these trade targets, Detroit Tigers pitcher Matthew Boyd is the No. 1 name that comes to mind.
The Tigers are in the basement of the AL Central, as the organization is currently in rebuild mode. The 30-year-old Boyd will be a free-agent after next season, so it would make sense for Detroit to deal him now while his value is still high in order to receive a nice package of prospects in return.
It wouldn't be the first time that Mets team president Sandy Alderson made a big trade with the Tigers. As most of you will recall, Alderson and the Mets sent Michael Fulmer and Luis Cessa to the Tigers in exchange for slugger Yoenis Cespedes prior to the 2015 trade deadline. This deal helped propel the Mets to a division title and World Series appearance.
Another pitcher, who could be available is Texas Rangers veteran right-hander Kyle Gibson. The 33-year-old is currently sixth in MLB with a 2.06 ERA and leads the league with a 208 ERA+.
However, Gibson might be a risk for the Mets, as he has had a bit of an up-and-down career. In 211 starts, Gibson has posted an ERA north of five in five different seasons. He is also under control for two more years and is owed 10 million and 7 million in each of the next two seasons. His age and inconsistency are something the Mets might want to stay away from, given the fact that he would be more than just a half season rental.
Dan Klotz- @Klotzian: What if the worst case scenario comes to pass with Syndergaard and Carrasco and they don't pitch this year? Who will pitch in the No. 4 and 5 spots in the rotation? And when will that determination be made?
Hi, Dan. As previously mentioned, the Mets cannot count on Syndergaard or Carrasco this season. If both or one of them comes back, great. But there is no guarantee it will happen given their injuries.
Peterson will most likely stay in the No. 4 spot unless he continues to trend in the wrong direction. But he has produced some impressive outings this season despite being inconsistent at times. His latest poor outing came after having nine-days rest in between starts.
As for the No. 5 slot, the only internal option that comes to mind is left-hander Thomas Szapucki, who we could see up with the big league club later this summer if he continues to pitch well in Syracuse.
Regardless, the Mets will likely have to make a move before the trade deadline for a starting pitcher. Detroit Tigers' Matthew Boyd is a candidate to watch.
Drew- @theweathercock: Who do you think is more of a viable asset for the future - Stroman or Syndergaard ?
Marcus Stroman has been the Mets' best pitcher not named Jacob deGrom this season. In 12 starts, the right-hander has posted a 5-4 record, 1.2 bWAR, 2.41 ERA, 160 ERA+, 1.07 WHIP, 3.56 FIP and a 52.9% ground ball rate.
As for Syndergaard, with the exception of an inconsistent 2019 season, the hard-throwing righty has dealt with a slew of injuries since the start of 2017.
After emerging as one of the top pitchers in baseball from 2015-16, Syndergaard just hasn't been able to put it all together for the Mets due to his inability to stay healthy.
When looking down the road, the safer bet for the Mets would be to lock Stroman up to a long-term deal, as opposed to Syndergaard.
George J. Constanza- @georgejcostanza: How likely is Ronnie Mauricio to be used a trade chip with Francisco Lindor blocking his position for the foreseeable future?
This is another valid question. If the Mets are looking to make a big splash on the trade market prior to the July deadline to put them over the top as a World Series contender, there is a strong chance that opposing organizations will be asking about the availability of their young phenom shortstop prospect Ronnie Mauricio.
The Mets had this problem during Sandy Alderson's previous stint as general manager when their farm system was so rich that teams often asked for their highest ranked prospects during trade talks.
Mauricio is off to an impressive start this season with the Mets high-A ball affiliate in the Brooklyn Cyclones. Through the first 24 games, Mauricio has six home runs, 22 RBIs and is batting .262 with a .804 OPS.
While the 20-year-old is a natural shortstop, this position should be occupied by Francisco Lindor for close to the next decade. The team can potentially deploy Mauricio at second or third base given his versatility. But top prospect and 2019 first round draft pick Brett Baty is expected to man the hot corner for the Mets in the future as well. Center field could possibly be an option as well, but there is no guarantee that Mauricio can make the transition.
Depending on the player they are looking to acquire, the Mets could mull the idea of dealing Mauricio if the return is worth it.
Due to Mauricio's upside, it would be difficult for the Amazins' to ship him out of the organization. However, the Mets have invested in Lindor for the foreseeable future, meaning they must find a position for Mauricio, or use him as a trade chip to help take their team to the next level.
