New York Mets 2019 Season Preview: Fantasy Analysis
2018 Record: 77-85
Projected 2019 Record: 84-78
Contents
2018 Recap & 2019 Team Outlook
The Mets weren’t expected to be a contender in 2018, but they were a competitive bunch. With some young outfielders and a very good staff, the Mets have re-tooled in an interesting way. They added Robinson Cano, Wilson Ramos, and Edwin Diaz to give them major upgrades at each position. This is going to be an interesting group, mainly because they have potential to finish top of the division if the cards fall right. The National League East is going to be a competitive one, and the Mets are a big part of the reason this division should come down to the wire. Health is always a big question mark for the Mets, so if they stay healthy, the projected standings have them flipping their 2018 record.
2019 Storylines
New York trading with Seattle was a big storyline in the beginning of the offseason, landing Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz. Cano has been coasting in Seattle, posting numbers that the Mets could use. Diaz is in an elite closer, and will give the Mets a a huge upgrade. The questions are what can Cano bring to the Mets to give them that extra jump. New York has a very solid staff, and 2019 could be a year we get them all truly healthy. Steven Matz and Zach Wheeler have been dealing with their own injury issues, and Noah Syndergaard has as well at times. If New York can avoid the scares, and get 150+ innings out of each arm, this is going to be a fun team.
Mets Starting Pitching
The finally emerging Zack Wheeler has pushed this Mets rotation another step above the rest. They already have Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard, which gives them tremendous options up front. If Steven Matz can have more consistent form, we are looking at a rotation that can rival any team in baseball. deGrom is coming off a Cy Young winning season, where he had 269 strikeouts, and a 1.70 ERA. Syndergaard seems to be a ticking time bomb with injuries, and most would like to see him hit that 170-180 mark. The fifth spot is a throw away with Jason Vargas, who missed some bats, but had a 5.77 ERA and 1.41 WHIP.
Mets Bullpen
Adding Edwin Diaz was a big get for the Mets, who also saw Jeurys Familia come back too. Both have lively fastballs, and strikeout stuff. Familia is an upside play as his form was hit and miss at times. Justin Wilson and Seth Lugo are viable options in the middle of the bullpen, and they have Robert Gsellman to fill the long term role. New York will come into 2019 with a good bullpen on paper, but will need a few guys to have more consistent seasons.
Mets Hitters
The Mets will be looking to make a jump on the offensive side. Adding an older Robinson Cano is a plus, and the same goes for Wilson Ramos being behind the dish. They have not had a consistent offensive catcher in years. Now the outfield is going to be a plus, as Michael Conforto looks rather healthy coming into the year. He wasn’t quite himself last season, but still knocked 28 homers when he got healthy. Brandon Nimmo had a really strong stretch, and then the strikeouts started to even everything out. He has power, but hard to see the OBP sitting at the levels projected.
They don’t have much speed outside of Amed Rosario, however he is a threat to steal 25+ bases this season. Because Dominic Smith and Pete Alonso play the same position and there is no DH, we might see a time share. Alonso seems to be the more attractive hitter at this point. However, with Jed Lowrie returning at some point, the Mets will have a logjam. With names like Keon Broxton, an injured Jed Lowrie, and Carlos Gomez on the roster — they have some interesting names that could come to life.
Mets Projected Lineup
- Brandon Nimmo
- Jeff McNeil/Jed Lowrie
- Robinson Cano
- Michael Conforto
- Wilson Ramos
- Pete Alonso
- Amed Rosario
- J.D. Davis
2019 Noteworthy Fantasy Pitchers
Zack Wheeler – No need to tough on the reigning Cy Young winner, and one of the first pitchers off the board. Zack Wheeler is coming off a strong campaign, which he was due for after a lot of injuries. Wheeler’s fastball looked back in form, and his breaking stuff set him up for some big strikeout games. Wheeler had walk issues in the minors, and early in his career, but has worked out those kinks. Wheeler’s 2018 was not a fluke.
Noah Syndergaard – Noah Syndergaard is not being talked about a ton right now, and it has a lot to do with him not pitching 170+ innings. He has only done that once in his career. I referenced him being a ticking time bomb, and it is because of the more random injuries that keep occurring. He missed all of 2017 with a major injury to get it out of the way, but the durability continues to be a question mark. When healthy, he has above average strikeout stuff, and pin point control. If he slips in drafts, take the upside on him if he can hit 175 innings or more.
2019 Noteworthy Fantasy Hitters
Michael Conforto – Because of the shoulder injury, Michael Conforto’s 2018 was a bit watered down. You could tell he wasn’t right, but now we are looking at a healthy Conforto heading into 2019. He has topped 25 home runs in back to back seasons, and sports a subpar average due to him grounding into the shift. However, he still brings a ton of production, which should be enhanced with a better surrounding squad.
Robinson Cano – We weren’t expecting Robinson Cano in blue and orange, but here we are. He is 36 years old, and still a consistent bat at the plate. Whether he had some extra help, that is a story for a different day. He is still a viable option in the fantasy world, even if some signs of aging start dropping his numbers down.