The toughest division in baseball might be the National League East, home to three World Series contenders — the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, and Atlanta Braves — along with young, scrappy Washington Nationals and Miami Marlins teams.
Projecting the NL East winner during spring training is nearly impossible. FanDuel currently lists the favorites’ odds as follows:
- Braves +135
- Phillies +180
- Mets +210
By the time any of those predictions play out, rosters will have gone through multiple changes. However, a hot start can go a long way, making the Opening Day roster decisions crucial.
New York Mets Opening Day Roster Projection
Injuries are never ideal, but the Mets will open the season with a roster heavily impacted by injuries this spring. Starting catcher Francisco Álvarez and veteran second baseman Jeff McNeil will both miss time. Newly acquired pitcher Frankie Montas and recently re-signed Sean Manaea are also sidelined.
With those key players out, New York will need its big offseason additions — Juan Soto and Clay Holmes — to deliver. Otherwise, the NL East could turn into a two-team race, with the Mets on the outside looking in.
While injuries may keep the Mets from opening at full strength, they also create opportunities for other players to step up and earn long-term roles. Here’s the projected depth chart for Opening Day:
Starting Pitchers
Kodai Senga, Clay Holmes, David Peterson, Paul Blackburn, Griffin Canning
Bullpen
Edwin Díaz, A.J. Minter, Reed Garrett, Ryne Stanek, Tylor Megill, Max Kranick, Génesis Cabrera, José Buttó
Catcher
Luis Torrens, James McCann (potential free-agent signing)
Infield
Pete Alonso, Luisangel Acuña, Francisco Lindor, Mark Vientos, Brett Baty
Outfield
Juan Soto, Brandon Nimmo, Starling Marte, Jesse Winker, José Siri, Tyrone Taylor
Mets’ Injury Outlook
While several key players will miss the start of the season, both Minter and Marte are working their way back from previous injuries. There are some glaring concerns with this roster, particularly in outfield defense and the starting rotation.
Winker and Marte should split designated hitter duties, but the Mets might be better off making Soto the full-time DH while playing Siri and Taylor in the outfield. Acuña could start the year in the minors in favor of Ronny Mauricio, but Acuña offers more upside and versatility.
The Mets have in-house options to back up Torrens at catcher, including Kevin Parada and Jackson Reetz, but a reunion with McCann would provide more veteran depth behind the plate.
As the Mets look to stay competitive and build on their 2024 success, injury luck is sure to play a serious role.