MLB insider Jim Bowden dissects the New York Mets' catastrophic slump, revealing hidden flaws and proposing some solutions.
The New York Mets have lost 12 games in a row entering Wednesday, and things look ugly in Queens.
The offseason saw plenty of changes, but the Mets did spend a lot of money and made some trades to enter the season with high hopes and playoff aspirations.
The good news is that Juan Soto is returning to the lineup on Wednesday after nearly two weeks on IL, and the hope is that he can bring a jolt to this team and clubhouse.
Still, there are plenty of issues, and Jim Bowden of The Athletic revealed all of New York's issues and how to solve the problems in Queens right now.
Here is a list of all the problems:
- Stars hurt or not producing
- Corner outfield offense
- Infield issues
- Back of the rotation
- Back end of the bullpen
- Lack of depth
The first point is obvious, and although Soto has been hurt, Bo Bichette has gotten off to a sluggish start and Jorge Polanco has not produced before landing on the IL.
The corner outfield offense will hopefully be resolved with Soto's return, and the back end of the rotation has not been good whatsoever for New York.
David Peterson has a 0-3 record with a 5.40 ERA, Kodai Senga is 0-3 with an 8.83 ERA, and Sean Manaea has a 4.50 ERA.
The Mets' offense entered Wednesday 30th in on-base percentage, slugging percentage and runs, which is a worrisome trend.
The depth has already been tested, and it led to the signing of Tommy Pham, which isn't a promising sign, barely one month into the season.
All in all, these issues can be fixed, and Bowden gave his insight into how things can turn around in New York. First, Carlos Mendoza should not be at fault for these issues, but if things don't change, it figures to be his last season in the Mets clubhouse.
"Once the Mets get Soto, Lindor, Bichette and Polanco on track, they’ll start scoring runs and be more competitive. That said, there are moves they will need to make — whether internally or through trades — to address insufficiencies at the corner outfield spots, the back of their rotation and their bullpen because those problems aren’t likely to fix themselves," Bowden wrote.
Bowden even said finishing .500 would be an "accomplishment" with how badly things are in Queens right now, and he doesn't envision the Mets making the playoffs or getting a Wild Card spot.
Now, it is still very early, and the Mets should get Francisco Lindor's full offensive power back soon, but right now, there are plenty of concerns for the Mets.