Breaking down the Mets' to-do list with spring training rapidly approaching

When spring training arrives in less than six weeks, the Mets will have a far different look and set of expectations in front of them.

With new president of baseball operations David Stearns, manager Carlos Mendoza and a blueprint shift at last season's trade deadline, the mission has evolved into "sustainable competitiveness."

That means the Mets will not be willing to leverage their future in the name of a short-term run at a World Series. With some holes in the rosters outstanding, that changes the expectations for how they will be filled heading into spring traiing.

Here is the Mets' wish list heading into the first workouts in Port St. Lucie:

Add starting pitching depth

The Mets' big free agency quest came up short when they failed to land Yoshinobu Yamamoto despite reportedly offering a 10-year, $325 million deal.

After entering the offseason with only two surefire options in the starting rotation in Kodai Senga and Jose Quintana, the Mets front office added Luis Severino on a one-year, $13 million deal and acquired Adrian Houser from the Brewers in a trade that sent out pitching prospect Coleman Crow.

As the staff currently stands, Tylor Megill, Jose Butto and Joey Lucchesi would be the candidates to fill the final spot in the starting rotation. David Peterson is expected to miss the opening one or two months as he covers from hip surgery.

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Megill had an up and down 2023 campaign that saw him finish 9-8 but post a 4.70 ERA and 1.58 WHIP. The 25-year-old Butto has only pitched in 10 major-league games. Lucchesi has only made nine major-league starts since a 2021 elbow injury.

There are lingering questions about the rest of the rotation, with the Mets easing Senga into pitching every fifth day last season. Quintana only threw 75.2 innings last season on the heels of Tommy John surgery, while Severino dealt with two separate injuries during 2023.

Grab some combination of a bat or outfielder

As the Mets' roster currently stands, they would roll out an outfield of Starling Marte, Brandon Nimmo and Tyrone Taylor - also acquired in the Brewers trade - on Opening Day. The team could also call upon either DJ Stewart or Jeff McNeil in one of the corner outfield spots.

But neither Taylor nor Stewart profile as everyday options in the outfield. And pulling McNeil into the grass leaves Joey Wendle to fill the void, who has only played 69 games at second base across the last four seasons.

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The Mets infield is complicated following Wednesday's news that Ronny Mauricio would be out between eight and 12 months after surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right knee. Brett Baty and Mark Vientos will each need to take a major step forward to inspire long-term confidence in 2024 at the corner infield spot.

The Mets could stand to use a safety valve with another outfielder that could either provide depth at third base, outfield or factor into the designated hitter position.

Bolster the bullpen

Following the departures of several notable relievers including Adam Ottavino, Trevor Gott and Jon Curtiss, the Mets front office has made a handful of moves to fill in the gaps in the bullpen.

The largest was exercising left-hander Brooks Raley's $6.5 million club option. The Mets also added hard-thrower Jorge Lopez on a one-year, $2 million deal while adding Michael Tonkin and Austin Adams on major-league deals.

Lopez, who was an All-Star in 2022, presents the highest ceiling after appearing in 61 games for three separate teams last season. Tonkin is an innings eater, who tossed 80 innings across 45 appearances last season with the Braves while notching a 7-3 record. Adams is more of a prospective play after he only threw 19.2 innings in the last two seasons.

The question is whether those moves, paired with Edwin Diaz's return, are enough to lift a unit that was near the bottom of MLB last season. The Mets' bullpen finished 22nd in ERA and 20th in WHIP in 2023.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Mets to-do list for roster before spring training 2024