Mets Players With Most to Prove for Rest of 2023 Season | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

The New York Mets haven’t been anything too disappointing this season, but there’s plenty of time left for them to turn things around and make a postseason push.

Players up and down the roster can be pointed to as potential X-factors for the second half of the campaign, but there are a few names in particular who have something to prove.

Whether it’s an underperforming or injured star, an upcoming free agent, or a breakout performer at a key position who needs to maintain his level of production, there are many reasons why the a player may make a point.

Ahead, we highlight three such players on the Mets’ roster.

David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Mets sent Brett Baty to Triple-A to start the 2023 season after he made his MLB debut last year, and he hit .400/.500/.886 with five home runs and 15 RBI in nine game before him. reminded the mayors.

The 23-year-old has a .938 OPS through his first 11 games back, but he’s hitting .241/.317/.355 with four home runs and 20 RBI in 186 plate appearances overall since return to the majors.

Despite his lack of extra-base pop thus far, his hard-hit rate (86th percentile) and average exit velocity (84th percentile) rank high on the leaguewide leaderboard, giving him clear upside going forward.

Can he become a rising star before the end of the season?

Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Playing the first season of a four-year, $78 million deal with the Mets last season, Starling Marte hit .292/.347/.468 for a 133 OPS+ with 45 extra-base hits and 3.8 WAR in 118 innings. game to earn his second career All-Star selection.

The 34-year-old failed to match that level of production this year, hitting .254/.308/.324 for a 77 OPS+ that was 149th out of 156 qualified hitters, and the Mets lineup just wouldn’t be the same without he. placed on the table next to Brandon Nimmo.

With two years and $41.5 million left on his contract, his ability to bounce back from a slow start will have an impact not only for the rest of the 2023 season but also for the next few years.

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

The Mets made Justin Verlander the highest-paid player in baseball when they signed him to a two-year, $86.7 million contract, matching the salary they gave future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer last offseason. .

The reigning AL Cy Young winner finished 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 185 strikeouts in 175 innings last year, but he hasn’t been the same pitcher this year.

The 40-year-old has a 4.50 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 52 innings, and his peripheral numbers reveal some of the trends.

His average fastball velocity dropped to 94.3 mph, his strikeout rate dropped from 27.8 to 20.5 percent, and he ranked near the bottom of the league in hard-hit rate (15th percentile) and average exit. velocity (12th percentile).

The Mets rest most of their title hopes on the shoulders of their veteran aces, and Verlander is owed $43.3 million next season, making his return to form a major X-factor for this year. and next time.