While the New York Mets are already seven games out of first place in the National League East and fighting to stay around .500, scouts around the league believe there are some very good reasons to expect them to compete for a playoff spot in September.
Heading into the MLB games today the Mets have won two straight and are heading into a huge weekend series against the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves. For some league experts, the team has actually been a pleasant surprise in 2024 since expectations were low after they went bargain shopping in the offseason and made very few notable moves.
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Yet, heading into the weekend they are in the thick of the Wild Card chase despite not being near full health. The team has played all season without planned No. 1 started Kodai Senga, and uber-talented prospect Francisco Alvarez has not suited up since mid-April. And those are actually two of the reasons some scouts see a lot of potential in the 2024 New York Mets.
On Thursday, SNY MLB insider John Harper revealed some unique insights he received from various MLB scouts, and they believe Kodai Senga’s impending return, as well as the potential of top pitching prospect Christian Scott, are two reasons why the team has a lot of upside.
“There’s a lot to like there if the pieces fall into place,” one scout said. “Scott looks like the real thing. If Senga is healthy he’s a proven front-end-of-the-rotation guy.”
The team’s lineup and their defense behind the plate have been two issues for the club in recent weeks. Yet, some scouts believe those are two problems that should be fixed in one fell swoop when Alvarez returns from his thumb ligament injury.
“I think they miss him in a lot of ways,” one of the scouts said. “He seems like an energy guy, for starters. I’m not sure yet how he’s going to shake out overall as a hitter, but even if he’s a low-average guy he’ll hit his home runs, and they miss that. And his throwing will help with the base-stealing stuff.”
Senga could be back with the team by the end of May while the young catcher may be ready to return by mid to late June.
