With a crucial victory in their one-day layover in St. Louis, the Mets recovered from a poor series they had played over the weekend. This was the kind of game that is easy to lose. This 10-game road trip has four cities and six games left. They will play three more in Denver before wrapping up in Seattle this coming weekend.
Tim Britton and Will Sammon answered your questions to find out how things stand with several areas of the Mets’ operations as the trade deadline has passed and the winter approaches.
Do you see Brandon Sproat getting called up to either the bullpen or rotation before this season ends? — Frank D.
WS: For the time being, I am going to continue with my initial report from a few weeks ago, which stated that it was more likely that he would play in the lower leagues through 2024. But things do alter and new things emerge.
Sproat finished his stint in Double A with 13 strikeouts in five scoreless innings (two hits, no walks). He was a dominant player there. A few days ago, he was quickly promoted to Triple-A Syracuse. It would make sense to give him a shot in the major leagues, even if it is just in a pinch, if he keeps demonstrating that the minor leagues are not the right location for him. However, it should be noted that Sproat has yet to throw a pitch in Triple A this season, having already completed 87 2/3 innings in his debut professional ball season. The Mets, like many organizations these days, are still conscious of their pitchers’ workload even though they have been hesitant to curb their innings. Watch how Sproat does in Triple A. I’ll
Do you think Mark Vientos’ emergence has actually made Pete Alonso more expendable this coming offseason? Without him, we would be desperate to know where any power would come from. But now, we won’t have that question heading into next year and maybe Stearns would prioritize defense at the corners? — Anon.
TB: I believe that Alonso is now less necessary than he was, say, in 2022 because of the widespread growth of power surrounding him in the lineup. Alonso was the source of over 25% of the Mets’ home runs (23.4%) two years prior. It represents only 16.2% of their long balls this year. That year, the Mets without Alonso hit 131 home runs; this year, they have hit 119. You mentioned Vientos, who has 16 home runs; other notables include Francisco Lindor, who has 22 (having hit 30 last year), Brandon Nimmo, who has 16, and Francisco Alvarez, who you believe will reach 20 soon.
The Mets now have more alternatives when it comes to assembling their roster for the upcoming campaign thanks to Vientos’ rise. They can intend for him to be a regular at third base if they want to boost the defense, or they can see him as their everyday third baseman. If Alonso left, they can transfer him to first. This gives New York a slight advantage over other teams in negotiations compared to what it would have had following earlier seasons.
How has new third-base coach Mike Sarbaugh been received/evaluated by Mets players/coaches as well as media? — Paul F.
WS: Coach Sarbaugh is excellent. His demeanor is stable but amiable. He is a pleasure to speak with, and I have picked up some minor positioning and pre-pitch decision-making tips from him. A few weeks back, Jeff McNeil made a fantastic play to help win a game by extending his reach to his left on a grounder. During the days and weeks preceding that particular game, McNeil had dedicated a significant amount of time to assisting Sarbaugh in improving his positioning in order to convert that particular play. Sarbaugh works additional hours with Vientos every day before games, and he frequently works with Alonso afterward. All the reviews I have heard are positive.
Which of the guys the Mets drafted last month has the best chance of becoming the next Sproat/Christian Scott? — Frank D.
WS: This question made sense to me: Which pitcher selected last month has a chance to emerge as the Mets’ best pitching prospect in less than a year? Nate Dohm, a right-hander selected in the third round of the draft from Mississippi State, is the player that both opposing evaluators and team members would mention. He is 21 years old. He has a fastball that possesses all the qualities evaluators look for, and he also has good breaking pitches. In addition, he throws a lot of strikes—in his last season at Starkville, Mississippi, he only allowed four walks in 29 1/3 innings.
With the Mets concerned about innings pitched already by each of their starters compared to their prior years, why is Joey Lucchesi regularly overlooked despite respectable outings? — Bob E.
TB: According to the Mets, Lucchesi lacks the ability to regularly strike out major-league hitters. They believe he does not strike out enough batters, that his restricted mix prevents him from working through a lineup more than twice, and that his lack of versatility prevents him from being used as a bullpen option.
Lucchesi surprised everyone by performing admirably in a nine-start sample in the majors during the previous season. He made a less successful big-league debut this year, and because of his struggles in Syracuse, he was designated for assignment last month. The fact that he was left unclaimed on waivers indicates that other teams were also considering the left-hander, not only the Mets.
Any update on Matt Allan or Ronny Mauricio? — Joe A.
WS: According to the Mets, Mauricio underwent arthroscopic surgery last week to remove scar tissue from his right knee. “He stays on track to return to competition this offseason and will proceed his recovery as tolerated,” the team states. It was a recheck operation following his wintertime ACL tear. The remote possibility that he would make a comeback during the regular season has vanished. It is too early to say for sure, but it is feasible that he plays winter ball or in the Arizona Fall League again.
Allan is throwing well and making progress, despite not having played in a minor league game since 2019. But it is still uncertain when we may expect him to come.
José Buttó has been great in the pen. Despite the Mets acquiring all these fresh arms don’t you think it’s a waste to make him a starter? — Mark P.
TB: I went to Oakland with the 2011 Red Sox on my first road trip as a beat reporter. In the opening game, Clay Buchholz began to struggle with command in the sixth inning, giving Boston a comfortable lead in the middle innings. After loading the bases with a walk on his final pitch of the afternoon, a 3-2 changeup to the No. 8 batter, Professional Baseball Writer Tim thought it was absurd that Buchholz had not thrown a fastball. (After all, it was not a crazy pitch; the tying run was at the plate.) I so questioned Terry Francona whether he was “frustrated” with the way Buchholz’s start concluded following the game.
“Whoa whoa,” Francona said. “Frustrated? You said that, not me. Don’t you go putting words into my mouth like frustrated.”
I think of this when I read questions phrased with “don’t you think” or “wouldn’t you agree.”
No, I do not believe that making Buttó a starter is a waste. If a pitcher has enough variation in his pitches to be useful in the rotation, I believe that he is more valuable in the rotation than he is in the bullpen. Examine the other long-term relievers who converted to starters in 2024 who are succeeding: Jordan Hicks, Reynaldo López, and Seth Lugo, of course.
Given that he is not stretched out any more, one might argue that Buttó is a better pen option for this particular Mets club than he is as a starter. However, I believe it is a smart move for the Mets to explore Buttó’s potential as a starter in the long run.
(Top photo of Brandon Sproat: Richard Rodriguez / Getty Images)
