With a number of splashy free agent moves this offseason, the Mets roster is beginning to take shape — offering baseball fans in Queens a preview of the coming year.
The Mets used the post-lockout period to shore up their bullpen by trading for ace pitcher Chris Bassitt from the Oakland A’s in exchange for two pitching prospects, as well as by inking veteran reliever Adam Ottavino to a 1 year deal, prying him away from the Boston Red Sox.
Bassitt’s addition gives the Amazins one of the best depth charts on the mound, as he will join former Cy Young Award winners Jacob DeGrom and Max Scherzer, along with Carlos Carrasco and Taijuan Walker.
[READ ALSO: Chris Bassitt trade creates vaunted top 3 rotation on Mets roster]
The team also heads into spring training with multiple unanswered questions about which players would start games for the team from Queens — though manager Buck Showalter has given some insight into his views on the team’s lineup.
With Pete Alonso figuring to get the bulk of games on first base, and Francisco Lindor as a lock at shortstop, second and third bases were the biggest open question marks in the Mets infield.
Eduardo Escobar, who joined the team last December, is a flexible glove, and has played nearly every position on the diamond throughout his career. Still, the 33-year-old prefers to play third base, and will likely get the majority of his starts there.
Second base, then, created an interesting dynamic, given the multiple options available to Showalter. With the return of Robinson Canó from a PED-related suspension, and 29-year-old Jeff McNeil also on the roster, that creates a potential starting competition — but Showalter told reporters on Tuesday that McNeil will get the majority of looks.
“I don’t think it’ll be split,” Showalter said. “I think [McNeil] will get the majority there.”
Still, the manager promised to ensure Canó serves as more than a designated hitter, saying he would get playtime on the defensive side of the ball.
“I think Canó knows that he’s not gonna play second base every day for us,” said Showalter. “He knows that. [But] we hope that he’s not a pure DH, either.”
Other possibilities at the DH spot, if Canó is on the field, or if his battling struggles after missing last season, include Dominic Smith and J.D. Davis.
Smith batted .244/.304/.363 last season, while recording 48 RBIs and 11 home runs in 446 at-bats. Davis, meanwhile, saw a .285/.384/.436 year in 2021, with 23 RBIs and 5 homers in 179 plate appearances.
Smith could also potentially play the outfield, though the team has a number of other options there — including Mark Canha, Starling Marte and Brandon Nimmo.
However the roster shakes out, the Mets figure to be among the best teams in the MLB.
FanDuel Sportsbook currently lists the team as tied with two other teams (the Toronto Blue Jays and the Chicago White Sox) for the third best odds to win the World Series, behind only the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers.
