2023-24 MLB Offseason Recap: New York Mets

After a 101-win campaign and a playoff birth in 2022, expectations were high for the Mets in 2023. The Mets, though, could not keep up with the Braves and Phillies and finished 2023 with their third sub-.500 finish in four seasons. Here’s our Mets offseason recap for the winter of 2023-24.

Notable Additions

This offseason for the Mets was very different from what had become the norm under owner Steve Cohen.

Aside from the Mets’ unsuccessful bid for Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Mets opted to not chase the stars and instead looked to fill out their roster with unheralded names or buy-low candidates.

New York added several names who struggled in 2023, including Jorge Lopez, Luis Severino, and Harrison Bader. As we documented in December, Severino got shelled with the Yankees in 2023 after several previous injury-riddled campaigns.

Bader, meanwhile, is set to take over as the Mets’ regular center field and spell Brandon Nimmo to left. The New York native’s defensive capabilities are well-known. However, he’ll look to rebound after he batted just .192/260/.233 (.493 OPS) over the last two months of last season.

Now, here’s a look at the subtractions part of our Mets offseason recap.

Notable Subtractions

After the massive selloff that saw David Robertson, Justin Verlander, and Max Scherzer moved to contenders in the summer, the Mets didn’t lose many pieces from the roster New York fielded in August and September.

However, the Mets opted not to retain Daniel Vogelbach or defensive wizard Luis Guillorme. Reliever Trevor Gott, who had his moments as a Met but likely deserved better (3.43 FIP with Mets), was also not kept by New York.

What to Expect in 2024

The Mets opened up the 2023 campaign with exceedingly high expectations. However, a sluggish spring pushed the Mets down the standings and the Amazins’ failed to make a push before the Trade Deadline and the aforementioned selloff.

Heading into 2024, expectations are different. Sure, the Mets could make the playoffs in 2024. New York still has stars in the lineup and their pitching staff — if things go right — could push the team back into the postseason.

Adrian Houser and Sean Manaea both had successful runs with their former teams, and Kodai Senga established himself as one of the game’s premier strikeout pitchers last season. There’s talent on this Mets team but making it back to October won’t be easy.

After all, the Braves and Phillies — two titans in the National League — aren’t going anywhere.