The Mets and Yankees conclude their challenging seasons in New York and enter an unpredictable winter ahead.
NEW YORK — For the first time in nine years, baseball’s postseason won’t include a New York team.
Neither of them even came close, to be honest.
In March, it would have been hard to imagine such a significant failure by the Mets and Yankees. They had a total of 200 wins in the regular season of 2022, both made it to the playoffs, and both teams acquired notable players during the offseason.
The 2023 season in the city was expected to be incredibly thrilling, with notable players like Aaron Judge and Justin Verlander on different teams and the two highest payrolls in the league.
Perhaps another Subway Series. Definitely some exciting moments in October.
However, in August, the main topic of conversation in New York City was football. Both teams, which were struggling and had a high number of injured players, finished their seasons with no chance of making it to the playoffs. As a result, the stadiums were empty. They returned home early for the winter and watched the playoffs on TV.
PHOTOS: Mets and Yankees wrap up nightmare New York seasons and head into uncertain winter
What on earth happened here, in the name of Nelson Rockefeller?
The Bronx Bombers, with a budget of $275 million, had a batting average of .227, which was only worse than Oakland. Despite replacing hitting coach Dillon Lawson with Sean Casey during the All-Star break, they ranked 25th in runs. They managed to finish fourth in the AL East with a record of 82-80, narrowly avoiding their first losing season since 1992.
Manager Aaron Boone stated on Sunday that while the current situation is preferable to the alternative, the expectation is still to engage in baseball activities this month.
Pete Alonso and the Mets, with a $355 million roster on opening day that was by far the most expensive in big league history, came in fourth in the NL East, nearly 30 games behind division champion Atlanta. After winning 101 games last year, second-most in team annals, they fell to 74-87 by losing their 2023 finale – the largest drop-off in the majors this year.
Manager Buck Showalter was fired Sunday, clearing the way for new president of baseball operations David Stearns to pick the next Mets skipper. Stearns was set to be introduced Monday at a Citi Field news conference.
“When situations take a turn for the worse in New York, events unfold rapidly,” expressed center fielder Brandon Nimmo. “As players, it is our responsibility to prevent such occurrences.”
There is no doubt that injuries had a detrimental impact.
Mets closer Edwin Díaz missed the entire season after blowing out his knee while celebrating a victory with Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic. That exposed an otherwise thin bullpen, while the back of a remade rotation collapsed under a pile of walks as Carlos Carrasco, David Peterson and Tylor Megill were unable to pick up the slack when Verlander, Max Scherzer and José Quintana were sidelined at various times early in the year.
Meanwhile, Starling Marte, the talented right fielder, struggled to perform at his usual level after undergoing double groin surgery in the previous offseason. Consequently, he could only participate in 86 games, which were not very productive.
In the Bronx, Carlos Rodón, a new player with a $162 million contract, faced delays in making his debut for the Yankees due to forearm and back problems. When he finally did play on July 7, he struggled to perform well as a pitcher, ending up with a disappointing record of 3 wins and 8 losses, along with an ERA of 6.85 in 14 starts.
Several other veterans had significantly poor performances due to seasons interrupted by injuries. This includes Anthony Rizzo, who plays as a first baseman, Giancarlo Stanton, who serves as a designated hitter, Harrison Bader, who plays as a center fielder, Josh Donaldson, who plays as a third baseman, Jose Trevino, who is a catcher, and pitchers Luis Severino and Nestor Cortes.
Domingo Germán achieved a flawless performance in late June, but subsequently sought treatment for alcohol addiction in early August.
Of course, the most glaring injury was to Judge, who tore a ligament in his right big toe when he crashed into the outfield fence while making a terrific catch June 3 at Dodger Stadium.
The Yankees reached their highest point of the season the next day, with a record of 54-48. Despite being in the midst of the wild-card competition, their chances took a hit when the reigning AL MVP rejoined the team on July 28. Unfortunately, they struggled in their next 28 games, winning only 8 out of 20 and effectively dropping out of the race.
The Yankees did not make the most of an exceptional performance by their star pitcher Gerrit Cole, who is currently the top contender for the AL Cy Young Award, and they also failed to fully utilize the consistent support provided by one of the strongest bullpens in baseball.
Judge stated that while injuries and missed opportunities can be discussed, ultimately it boils down to the players not performing when it was necessary.
In the same way, on June 1, the Mets had a record of 30-27 after defeating the defending NL champion Philadelphia in three consecutive games. It seemed like they were ready to have a successful streak with Verlander and Max Scherzer both in good health as pitchers. However, they ended up losing their following seven games and 19 out of 25 during the June slump, which greatly damaged their season.
After suffering a 3-1 loss to Rodón at Yankee Stadium on July 26, the Mets, who were seven games below a winning record, decided to redirect their attention towards the future. They carried out an impressive sell-off in the days leading up to the August 1 trade deadline. In these deals, they traded away Scherzer, Verlander, and four other experienced players in exchange for promising minor league prospects, which helped replenish their farm system.
Mets owner Steve Cohen has agreed to provide $79 million to the clubs that are acquiring his former players in order to streamline the trades. In the event that Verlander decides to exercise his 2025 option, the Mets would additionally transfer $17.5 million to Houston.
The season that was lost served as a clear indication that money can be used to acquire players, but it does not guarantee victories on the field. Additionally, although a 162-game schedule provides numerous opportunities for recovery and success, there are instances where you only have around 100 games to demonstrate your skills.
In the final analysis, the Mets wasted the outstanding contributions throughout the year by Alonso, Nimmo, Lindor at shortstop, and rookie pitcher Kodai Senga.
Upon his return to Citi Field in late August with the Texas Rangers, Scherzer was baffled when questioned about the Mets’ significant downfall.
“He stated that it is a question worth billions of dollars.”
Now what?
NEW YORK YANKEES
After hitting a record-breaking 62 home runs in 2022, Judge entered free agency but ultimately decided to remain with the Yankees after signing a lucrative nine-year contract worth $360 million. Throughout this season, he showcased his impressive skills with 37 home runs, 75 RBIs, and an impressive 1.019 OPS in 106 games.
Currently, the captain requires additional assistance. A significant amount more is needed.
The Yankees face the challenge of rejuvenating their team by acquiring younger and less injury-prone players, which is not a simple task. Additionally, they need to provide adequate support for Judge in the lineup. One potential solution could be signing free agent third baseman Matt Chapman.
Prized prospect Jasson Domínguez provided an encouraging spark with four homers and a .980 OPS in eight major league games after getting called up Sept. 1, but the 20-year-old center fielder then had Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow that’s expected to sideline him until at least July.
Given Domínguez’s current absence, the Yankees need to determine whether they are interested in pursuing a long-term agreement with a prominent free agent outfielder such as Cody Bellinger.
Judge is a vocal Boone supporter, and general manager Brian Cashman seems likely to return after signing a four-year contract last December.
The judge mentioned that he had a conversation with Hal Steinbrenner, the owner, and Cashman, who has been the team’s GM since 1998, regarding the team’s future plans. The judge is eager to continue discussing this matter with them during the upcoming offseason.
“I cannot reword.”
NEW YORK METS
Alonso, who has hit 46 home runs and driven in 118 runs, will have the option to become a free agent after the 2024 season. The Mets face a significant decision this winter: either trade him for potential future gains or commit to a long-term contract by signing him.
When Stearns was in charge of the Milwaukee Brewers, he excelled at finding excellent pitchers. Now, he faces a comparable task with the Mets.
Blake Snell, Aaron Nola and Jordan Montgomery are among the attractive starting pitchers set to hit the free-agent market after the World Series. Both teams in New York figure to be interested in Shohei Ohtani, although the two-way superstar isn’t expected to pitch in 2024 following elbow surgery.
The Mets have a group of promising prospects who ended the season at Double-A Binghamton. Rookie hitters Francisco Álvarez, Brett Baty, Mark Vientos and Ronny Mauricio all flashed impressive raw power in the majors this year, but none of them had an on-base percentage higher than .296, and defense remains a question mark across the board.
