Juan Soto’s arrival, reworked bullpen among biggest Mets storylines entering spring training

One of the biggest challenges the Mets volition look successful 2025 volition beryllium figuring retired however to recapture the magic of 2024. There was Grimace, determination was “OMG” and determination was the playoff pumpkin, but the magic lone took them truthful far.

A fewer months aft the Los Angeles Dodgers ended their season, the Amazin’s made it known that they’ll beryllium coming for the champs successful 2025. They signed slugger Juan Soto to a grounds 15-year, $765 cardinal contract, and brought backmost instrumentality favorites similar Sean Manaea and Pete Alonso this winter.

But portion Los Angeles looms ample crossed the country, the Mets’ absorption is solely connected themselves arsenic they descend connected Port St. Lucie for outpouring training. Pitchers and catchers study Tuesday. Here’s a look astatine wherever the Mets basal and the biggest questions they’ll question to reply earlier Opening Day connected March 27.

COACHING STAFF

Manager Carlos Mendoza and his full 2024 large league unit instrumentality this season, providing the Mets with stableness and familiarity. Last play was Mendoza’s archetypal arsenic the skipper and it was evident aboriginal connected that helium was acceptable for the job. Aaron Boone’s erstwhile seat manager successful the Bronx deftly navigated a challenging aboriginal play slump and turned the vessel around, guiding the Mets to a Wild Card playoff spot and Game 6 of the NLCS. For his efforts, helium was named a finalist for NL Manager of the Year.

His players admit that he’s engaging and personable with them. The Venezuela autochthonal has brought accountability to the clubhouse and collaborative coaching culture. Hitting coaches Jeremy Barnes and Eric Chavez return, arsenic good arsenic pitching manager Jeremy Hefner. New this play is adjunct pitching manager Desi Druschel, who worked with Mendoza erstwhile the 2 were with the Yankees.

STARTING PITCHING

Manaea was successful tears the past clip helium wore a Mets uniform, but he’s backmost connected a three-year, $75 cardinal pact. Manaea was the ace the Mets needed past play erstwhile right-hander Kodai Senga was injured, turning successful a vocation twelvemonth and reinventing himself aft 2 challenging seasons with the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants. Senga, Manaea and left-hander David Peterson task to beryllium the Mets’ apical three.

His erstwhile Oakland A’s teammate, right-hander Frankie Montas, is hoping to physique disconnected of his second-half show with the Milwaukee Brewers past season. Hefner is rapidly gathering a estimation arsenic a manager who tin assistance alteration scuffling back-end starters into frontline rotation options, and the Mets are hoping Montas tin payment from his coaching. The aforesaid goes for right-hander Clay Holmes, a erstwhile Yankees person who volition agelong retired to commencement this spring.

Depth options see right-hander Paul Blackburn and Griffin Canning. The Mets volition request those two, arsenic good arsenic others passim the season, arsenic they program to usage a six-man rotation.

PROSPECT TO WATCH: Right-hander Brandon Sproat, the club’s apical pitching prospect, volition apt commencement the play successful Triple-A, but could marque his large league debut aboriginal successful 2025.

BIGGEST QUESTIONS: Senga’s wellness volition beryllium a question until helium proves it shouldn’t be. The Mets see him healthy, but determination was immoderate speculation of further wounded aft his agent, Joel Wolfe, described his offseason workouts arsenic a rehab progression during the wintertime meetings successful December. Holmes volition besides beryllium a communicative to ticker since the 31-year-old hasn’t started a large league crippled since 2018.

RELIEF PITCHING

Closer Edwin Diaz headlines the bullpen radical erstwhile again. The right-hander had an up-and-down play successful 2024, his archetypal since a World Baseball Classic genu wounded successful 2023. But erstwhile it mattered most, Diaz came done with a 3.00 ERA and 10 saves successful the 2nd fractional of the season. Ryne Stanek, a hard-throwing right-hander who was acquired up of the commercialized deadline past year, returns to acceptable up for Diaz, and left-hander A.J. Minter and right-hander Reed Garrett bring high-leverage experience.

This radical underwent a important makeover this winter, but determination are acquainted faces returning with right-hander Dedniel Nuñez and Sean Reid-Foley. They some ended the play injured, but are expected to beryllium acceptable to vie for roster spots this spring.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: The Mets person plentifulness of arms with large league acquisition looking to gain roster spots retired of camp, including right-handers Max Kranick, Tyler Zuber and Dylan Covey, and left-hander Danny Young.

BIGGEST QUESTIONS: Tylor Megill is apt going to determination to the bullpen this season. The Mets person been intrigued by the anticipation of his velocity successful a alleviation role, but valued the starting pitching extent successful the past. The large right-hander has ne'er been capable to found immoderate benignant of consistency arsenic a starter and this determination feels similar it’s been a agelong clip coming. Right-hander Jose Butto struggled arsenic the agelong antheral successful alleviation precocious successful the play and successful the postseason, but the Mets inactive look inclined to usage him retired of the bullpen.

CATCHERS

The large league catching unit is acceptable with Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens. But the organizational extent is somewhat thin. The Mets don’t person different backstop connected their 40-man roster but insignificant league escaped agents Chris Williams and Jakson Reetz volition supply immoderate extent astatine Triple-A. Kevin Parada and Hayden Senger are the prospects to watch. Senger hasn’t deed overmuch successful the insignificant leagues, but is fantabulous defensively. Parada, a first-round prime successful 2022, volition look to instrumentality the adjacent measurement successful his development.

INFIELD

Up the mediate it’s Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil. Lindor, the bosom and psyche of the Mets, was snubbed past play for the All-Star Game and a Gold Glove, contempt being an elite antiaircraft shortstop. The leadoff hitter astir turned successful different 30-30 play and apt would person if a late-season backmost wounded didn’t outgo him games.

With Alonso rejoining the Mets, the corners are set. Mark Vientos won’t person to determination crossed the diamond from 3rd to first, allowing 1 of the Mets’ apical young hitters to travel into outpouring grooming with his spot solidified for the archetypal time. Vientos and Alonso don’t precisely complaint precocious defensively, but Vientos made tremendous improvements past play erstwhile playing each time astatine the blistery corner, and Alonso is simply a coagulated capable defender that the Mets don’t interest astir archetypal base.

PROSPECTS TO WATCH: Luisangel Acuña impressed successful a 14-game stint past September and gained invaluable acquisition with the squad during the postseason. His velocity connected the basepaths is his calling paper and moving crippled coordinator Antwan Richardson volition enactment with him this outpouring connected to assistance him recognize erstwhile and however to champion utilize it. Jett Williams, the team’s second-ranked prospect, is expected to beryllium successful large league campy erstwhile again.

BIGGEST QUESTIONS: What volition the Mets bash with Brett Baty? The 3rd baseman is blocked astatine 3rd basal by Vientos, astatine 2nd by McNeil and Nick Madrigal is expected to commencement the play arsenic the inferior man. Ronny Mauricio missed each of past play with a genu injury, and portion helium was precocious capable to resume shot activities, the Mets program to instrumentality it dilatory with him arsenic outpouring grooming begins.

OUTFIELD

Soto volition beryllium the large gully for fans astatine Clover Park this spring. A generational hitter, the Mets are hoping helium tin amended his close tract defense. The Mets see it “league average” and scouts person agelong predicted that he’ll extremity up becoming a designated hitter full-time. Starling Marte didn’t complaint good defensively past season, but Mets officials felt that his defence and effort were amended than what the numbers said. The seasoned close fielder, who is entering the 4th and last twelvemonth of his contract, is expected to platoon with Jesse Winker astatine DH successful summation to spelling Soto connected juncture successful the outfield.

Brandon Nimmo volition antheral near field, though wherever helium volition deed this twelvemonth is simply a antithetic story. With Soto expected to deed second, Nimmo whitethorn person to determination down toward the mediate of the order.

The lone presumption conflict could travel successful halfway tract with Tyrone Taylor and Jose Siri, though it whitethorn not beryllium overmuch of a battle. Taylor offers much with his bat than Siri, and helium besides plays each 3 outfield positions. Siri has large scope and velocity successful the outfield. He uses that velocity astatine the plate, but he’s known to beryllium a spot chaotic connected the basepaths astatine times.

PROSPECTS TO WATCH: Drew Gilbert, acquired successful the Justin Verlander commercialized successful 2023, battled injuries past play but should beryllium coming into campy healthy. He’s an undersized outfielder, but his size has ne'er constricted him. He’s aggressive, accelerated and has a beardown limb successful the outfield, and tin get the shot successful the aerial astatine the plate.

BIGGEST QUESTIONS: Nimmo battled plantar fasciitis during the postseason but is expected to travel into campy healthy. It’s a crowded outfield with Marte and Soto and it’s unclear conscionable however overmuch clip Marte is expected to get defensively.