New York Mets 2024 offseason preview: Can Francisco Lindor and Co. keep up in the congested NL East?

Let's take a look at the New York Mets' 2024 season, the questions the team will have to address this winter, and the early outlook for 2025.

Read more: 2024 MLB offseason preview: What's next for the Padres, Guardians, Phillies and more??

Postseason result

The Mets' memorable run in September continued into October, as the club earned a dramatic wild-card victory over the Brewers before eliminating the Phillies in four games in the NLDS. Their Cinderella run ended at the hands of the Dodgers in the NLCS, but the Mets should enter the offseason with their heads held high after being the last team out of a highly competitive NL East.

Pete Alonso recorded the Mets' biggest hit of the postseason when he led off Brewers closer Devin Williams in the ninth inning of Wild Card Game 3 in Milwaukee. The runner-up for most memorable moment of the New York postseason would definitely be Francisco Lindor's sixth-inning grand slam in the decisive win over the Phillies in Game 4 of the NLDS. Mark Vientos also deserves a lot of credit, as the rookie led the Mets in home runs (5), RBI (14) and average (.327) in October and was second only to Alonso in OPS (.998).

Sean Manaea was the crucial cog in the rotation, posting three strong outings – a 2.65 ERA in his first 17 postseason innings – before faltering in the Mets' final game of the season, allowing five earned runs in just gave up two innings in the NLCS game 6 loss to the Dodgers. Luis Severino (3.24 ERA) and Jose Quintana (3.14 ERA) also put up solid postseason numbers, but the Mets' lack of bullpen depth became a major problem in the extended series.

Things that went well

The Mets showed a flair for the dramatic when they came from behind to beat the Braves and clinch a postseason berth on the final day of the regular season. And it was their standout player, Francisco Lindor, who delivered the game-winning home run. The shortstop got off to a slow start, batting .211 on May 29. But he caught fire in the second half (.943 OPS), which sparked the team's rise in the standings. The 30-year-old was also a standout defender, ranking second among shortstops with 16 outs above average. Shohei Ohtani will walk away with the NL MVP award, but Lindor is a strong candidate for the No. 2 spot.

And while Lindor was the Mets' biggest contributor, Mark Vientos was the most surprising. The 24-year-old was selected to the minors twice early in the season and had only registered eight at-bats through mid-May. After that, he took off and got the lineup going until Lindor got on the right track. Vientos reached the All-Star break with an .896 OPS and finished the season third on the team with 27 home runs.

Things that went wrong

While the offense was among the best in baseball, New York's pitching staff was merely average. And the blame for that can be shared equally between the rotation and the bullpen.

Luis Severino, Sean Manaea, David Peterson and Jose Quintana were reliable starters, but the final rotation spot was a constant headache. Adrian Houser was supposed to be the answer, but he struggled so much that he was moved to the bullpen in May and released in late July. Prospect Christian Scott failed to reach his lofty ceiling as he struggled in nine starts (4.56 ERA) before being sidelined with an elbow injury that ultimately required Tommy John surgery. And while Tylor Megill has had some solid starts, he spent time on the IL, was selected to the minors twice and had a 5.17 ERA at the end of July.

Closer Edwin Díaz had some dominant moments, but also some frustrating periods. He reached the All-Star break with a 4.05 ERA and five blown saves before finding further success in the team's second half. Additionally, three of the top five Mets in total appearances, Adam Ottavino, Jake Diekman and Danny Young, each posted an ERA over 4.30.

Off season plans

The Mets front office has some important decisions to make this offseason. The left side of the infield is occupied, with Lindor playing shortstop and Vientos at the hot corner. And Francisco Alvarez covered the team behind the plate. Jeff McNeil remains under contract as a second baseman but hasn't hit well over the last two seasons. With little strength, the 32-year-old often has to reach the base to help this team. First base is unclear, star hitter Pete Alonso is leaving in free agency.

Things are even more uncertain in the outfield. Brandon Nimmo will return at left guard, but center fielder Harrison Bader and right fielder Jesse Winker are both free agents. Starling Marte has another year left on his contract and can start at right guard, but he was a poor defensive player in 2024 and has struggled to stay healthy in recent seasons. Add in the fact that JD Martinez was on a one-year deal and there is a need to add at least two players to the OF/DH mix.

Like the outfield, several changes are needed in the rotation. Severino and Quintana are free agents and Manaea will likely opt out. Peterson and Megill can hold down two spots, but it's worth noting that they couldn't be relied upon at times in 2024 and were blown out of the bullpen in the postseason. Kodai Senga will return after being limited to 5 1/3 innings this year due to shoulder and calf injuries. Acquiring Paul Blackburn in July is another option, but he has a career 4.85 ERA and made just 14 starts this year. Díaz returns to anchor a relief corps that has most of its key members under contract for 2025. However, given this group's mediocre results in 2024, improvements are needed.

Yes, the to-do list for this winter is long for David Stearns, the Mets' president of baseball operations, who needs to add at least five players to first base, the outfield, the rotation and the bullpen. The good news is that team owner Steve Cohen has shown a strong financial commitment to building a contender. The resources are available; Stearns just has to make the right decisions.

Perspectives on the horizon

The Mets have had some injury setbacks in their youth pool, but still have an above-average group. And the best news is that most of their best young players could reach the majors next year.

Brandon Sproat made a big jump in his first minor league season, making it through three levels and finishing the season in Triple-A. The 24-year-old has elite fastball velocity and effective secondary offerings. Like many prospects, Sproat could improve his control, but he's on track to contribute to the Mets' rotation by next summer at the latest.

Wrist surgery limited Jett Williams' development this year, but the 2022 first-round draft pick is just 20 years old and has already reached Triple-A. He has incredible speed and uses his strong batting eye to reach the base often. Williams is a natural shortstop and is learning to play center field because of Lindor's presence in Queens. Williams is a little closer to the majors than another outfield prospect from the 2022 draft, Drew Gilbert. The 24-year-old came in the Justin Verlander trade and performed significantly better in Double-A in 2023 than he did in Triple-A this year. Still, Gilbert could get off to a solid start in 2025 and earn a spot on the Mets' roster next summer.

Ronny Mauricio was once on the fast track to the majors, recording 101 at-bats with the Mets in 2023 before suffering a torn ACL that caused him to miss the entire season. Like Williams, Mauricio is a shortstop who has learned to work around Lindor's presence by playing other positions. He was scheduled to start in Triple-A in 2025 but could soon return to New York as a utility player.

Finally, Luisangel Acuña caused a stir for the Mets in late September when Lindor was injured. But the 22-year-old shortstop posted a .654 OPS in Triple-A this year and likely needs more time to develop.

Goals for 2025

The 2024 season wasn't supposed to be a banner year for the Mets, but they still did well to advance to the postseason. In order to take the next step, significant modernization is required in several areas. The Phillies and Braves have two of the best rosters in baseball, which will make it difficult for New York to win its first division title since 2015, even with a huge payroll. Instead, a more realistic goal should be to secure a wildcard spot again next year and hope the team gets hot come October.

Fantasy focus

As Lindor leads the Mets on the field, he will be the team's first player selected in the 2025 Fantasy Drafts. The shortstop will be a Round 1 pick in some leagues, and if Alonso is not retained, there could be a significant gap until the next New York player is selected.

Díaz will be selected in the first ten rounds, while Vientos, Nimmo and Manaea will be selected in the middle round. The Mets' absence between Lindor and the next division perfectly illustrates why this team needs some quality additions to compete in the NL East next year.