New York Mets Reportedly 'Not Inclined' To Add DH
This is a report that New York Mets fans will not be pleased to hear.
According to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Mets do not appear to be inclined to spend money on adding a DH this winter, and instead prefer to create opportunities for their internal options such as Mark Vientos.
Per Rosenthal, Mets right fielder Starling Marte could also see significant time as a DH in 2024 since he is 35 and coming off double groin surgery from last offseason.
The Mets have been linked to several DH options on the open market such as Jorge Soler, J.D. Martinez and Justin Turner. However, there has been zero traction on a deal, and Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns has said adding another bat is non essential, despite being open to the possibility.
As Rosenthal pointed out, the Mets were ranked 20th in runs scored last season, so they could use more offense. The Mets also expect to compete for a postseason spot in a transition year, so adding another slugger wouldn't hurt.
All that being said, SNY insider Andy Martino has reported that the Mets have about $10 million left to spend, which they wish to allocate to relief pitching.
Beyond signing center fielder Harrison Bader, it appears that the Mets will be running it back this season with the same offense as last year. While they could receive bounce-back seasons from Jeff McNeil and Marte, they still might not have enough in their lineup to crack the postseason.
Giving Vientos a shot as the everyday DH seems like a risky move given his lack of experience and minimal results at the big-league level thus far in the early part of his career. But based off his minor league numbers, specifically in the power department, it could pay off if he is able to break out in 2024.
As it stands, it looks to be unlikely that the Mets add a DH before the season begins.
