New York Mets: 2018 Season preview, predictions, and more

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NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 09: Noah Syndergaard (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

Pitching

The Mets are getting perhaps the biggest (literally and metaphorically) piece to their rotation back in Noah Syndergaard. But with that, and a mixture of an interesting bullpen approach the Mets’ pitching can look brand new in 2018.

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The Mets’ pitching staff can possibly go down as one of the biggest “what-ifs” in baseball history had they all been together and healthy for more than just one season. But that is all in the past. There is a chance that 2018 sees these core guys together.

The biggest asset, to me, in this pitching staff in 2018 is Syndergaard. The Mets missed him the most last season and it showed. After tearing his lat he missed significant time.

As the regular season nears, “Thor” seems ready to hammer down the opposition. He has been mowing them down all spring with an ERA under 2. Having him right before deGrom in the rotation now is going to do wonders.

The best thing about Syndergaard is that his injury seems to be fluke-ish. He spent the offseason changing his workout regime and will be ready to go.

Jacob deGrom is a stud and is the only one who stayed healthy last year. He mows them down year after year and barring injury will do the same in 2018. Not too much to get into on him.

The Matt Harvey project is also in full effect. The former Dark Knight has a ton of work ahead to live up to his old moniker. But all seems to be going well in the spring.

After Callaway made the bold move to keep him around, it is imperative that it pays off. If Harvey can be managed into throwing specific pitches at specific times it’ll work. His fastball in topping off in the low 90s which is not ideal but can still work.

If he stays healthy and can get into a groove by the time the summer rolls in, the Mets can be a force to be reckoned with come time to earn a playoff spot.

Jason Vargas is nothing special. Although he is a much different pitcher than he was after his first stint in Queens, we all know what we have in Vargas.

He is good enough to keep a job. Vargas is a solid 4-5 pitcher in the rotation and can eat up innings. He can even be a guy who eats up innings coming out of the bullpen. His recent injury is a red light but the depth to the pitching staff he provides is his best attribute.

Then there are the others, Steven Matz, Zach Wheeler, and Seth Lugo. Those, to me, are the biggest question marks. Matz nearly fell off a cliff last year. Wheeler still seems like he needs to get back a rhythm after missing over a year.

Lugo is a guy the Mets can work with but has the potential to be disposable. He will be solid perhaps but can also fizzle out and provide nothing in his new potential bullpen role.

Wheeler seems to be the odd man out of the top 5 based off spring training but the Vargas injury will likely seem him go early in the season at the 5th spot.

New York’s rotation is far from proven, or even coming off a healthy season, but with a potential 1-2-3 punch of Thor, deGrom, and Harvey, it can be special. Most major league teams cannot even fathom having something as solid as that.

The biggest strength for the starting staff: deGrom and Thor.

The biggest weakness: The long-term health problems for the bottom guys.

As far as the bullpen goes this will be Mickey Callaway’s baby. What he does with this unit is going to be unique.

Jeurys Familia will be back and that is going to be a great thing. As far as the rest there are a lot to choose from. The Mets’ earliest off-season roster move was adding Anthony Swarzak. But last year’s trade for AJ Ramos gives them another option for a closer.

The bullpen changing around can be a nightmare for opposing teams. Jerry Blevins is looking to be the most consistent one in the bullpen again. Last year he succeed nearly every time he was called on. This year, he can do the same.

The biggest strength for the bullpen: Depth and talent.

The biggest weakness: Mickey Callaway’s inexperience to potentially misuse them.

Overall pitching staff grade: B-.

I love the Thor-deGrom 1-2 punch, it’ll be special. The Mets also addressed their need for depth in the offseason. However, the injury bug and new faces can haunt them. Lot of question marks about all those things keeping them from a better grade.

Up next will be the infield.

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