Most of the New York Mets’ 2025 roster was cemented heading into spring training, but the final positional battles are gaining clarity with one week to go until Opening Day down in Houston against the Astros.
Poised to have one of the most dangerous lineups in franchise history, the only questions surrounding the Mets’ offense is where everyone will bat, and who will make that final utility-man role. But an oblique injury to starting second baseman Jeff McNeil, which will hold him out for the start of the season, answered that.
Now, it comes down to who will start at second on Opening Day?
The starting rotation is already in a precarious spot with Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas injured. An ace in the hole has emerged though, with Clay Holmes putting together a solid spring and Griffin Canning also providing one of the more pleasant surprises.
Let’s take a look at how the roster might shape up when they load up the plane to Houston.
Starting Lineup
Francisco Lindor- SS
Coming off an NL MVP runner-up campaign, Lindor has more protection than ever behind him. If he can eliminate the slow starts that have plagued him, this could very well be a career year in the making.
Juan Soto- RF
If spring training is any indication of what is to come over the next 15 years, Soto will live up to that $765 million price tag with ease. In 12 exhibition games as a Met, he battled .357 with a 1.295 OPS, four home runs, and eight RBI.
Pete Alonso- 1B
Back in New York, Alonso has better career production in the No. 4 spot, but then that would mean Mark Vientos bats third, and the distribution of righty and lefty bats at the bottom of the order would be skewed. There should be little issue batting behind Soto, though, as he will get plenty more to hit.
Brandon Nimmo- LF
He only has 58 career at-bats in the No. 4 spot, but this is a potential spot in the lineup that will have plenty of lead-off scenarios following the big three of Lindor, Soto, and Alonso, who are capable of clearing the bases in a blink. It’s a noble experiment for now, and if he struggles, he can be moved down in the order to distribute the on-base prowess. For now, though, a player who has hit 20-plus home runs in each of the last two seasons could focus on taking another step in the power-hitting game.
Mark Vientos- 3B
Coming off his breakout 27-home-run season, Vientos’ power lengthens the Mets’ lineup that much more. He has not had a ton of success in the five-hole — he has a career .726 OPS in that spot — but the next step of the 25-year-old’s career is to become a reliable anchor in the middle of New York’s lineup, regardless of where that might bet.
Jesse Winker- DH
The veteran lefty bat will platoon with Starling Marte at the DH spot this season. He appears unscathed from some calf cramping, and will provide a high on-base option int he bottom half of the lineup.
Jose Siri- CF
A sterling defensive center fielder, Siri has lived up to the feast-or-famine billing at the plate. He has three home runs and eight RBI in 13 spring games, but he also has 13 strikeouts and is batting just .129.
Brett Baty- 2B
Can Baty finally put it all together in the majors? He lost the third-base job to Vientos last year after getting demoted to Triple-A early last year, but has once again shown that he can perform in the minors and in spring training. This exhibition season, he’s batting .308 with a .911 OPS, two home runs, and five RBI. He has also looked solid at second base, making him the favorite to fill in for the injured McNeil.
Luis Torrens- C
Torrens steps in for the injured Alvarez while he recovers from hand surgery, which will likely keep him out through all of April and into early May. While he does not carry the same power threat at the plate, he is more than reliable behind it — especially when it comes to cutting down would-be base-stealers. He threw out 45% of them last year.
Starting Rotation
Clay Holmes (R)
The Mets could not have asked much more from Clay Holmes this spring in his transition from closer to starter. He showed up to camp ahead of schedule, and then proceeded to to give up just two runs on five hits with 15 strikeouts in 14 innings. He’ll get the ball on Opening Day.
Kodai Senga (R)
He’s healthy, and that in itself is a win for the Mets. Their ace was limited to just 5.1 innings last season after a brilliant rookie campaign. Now he has to build back up to be the leading man of this rotation.
David Peterson (L)
If Peterson is able to recreate his production from last season, the Mets’ rotation will be in great shape. The southpaw was 10-3 with a 2.90 ERA in 2024 and carried it into spring training this year. He had a 0.84 ERA in 10 innings pitched with eight strikeouts and four walks.
Griffin Canning (R)
Canning has unlocked something entirely different in his first months with the Mets. With an ERA over 5.00 last season with the Los Angeles Angels, the righty has switched up his sequencing with brilliant results. He has allowed one earned run in 10 innings with 16 strikeouts.
Tylor Megill (R)
Decent starts are expected from Megill. He has done that time and time again. It’s the middle portion of the season that is a worry, but the Mets will cross that bridge when it gets here. The righty had a 3.86 ERA and 13 strikeouts with just two walks in 11.2 spring innings.
Bullpen
Edwin Diaz (R)
It has been a bumpy spring for the Mets’ closer, and there is still work to do. Mendoza wants to see how he does on back-to-back days, but is not concerned about his stuff in the slightest. He’ll ramp up when the situations do compared to his mid-inning appearances in Port St. Lucie.
AJ Minter (L)
The Mets are hopeful that their new set-up man will be ready to go by Opening Day after recovering from hip surgery. He’s had two scoreless innings of work in spring and should bolster the back end of the bullpen.
Paul Blackburn (R)
The odd-man out in the competition for the No. 5 spot in the rotation, Blackburn could serve as more of a swingman throughout the early parts of the season.
Jose Butto (R)
A former starter, Butto has made the full transition to multi-inning relieverf — one that appears to have the full trust of Mendoza. He can pitch anywhere between the fifth and eighth innings.
Reed Garrett (R)
Garrett had his best season last year (3.77 ERA) and has looked untouchable in the spring, allowing just one hit across five scoreless innings with six strikeouts.
Max Kranick (R)
Once an afterthought to make the 26-man roster, Kranick has bullied his way into the Mets’ bullpen behind 9.1 strong innings, including 12 strikeouts.
Ryne Stanek (R)
Back for another season, Stanek brings his postseason pedigree as a right-handed, late-inning option.
Danny Young (L)
Young has found a home in New York as a situational left-handed candidate out of the pen after throwing a career-high 37.2 innings last season.
Bench
Hayden Senger- C
The long-time Mets prospect finally has a chance to realize a dream of making it to the majors as Torrens’ backup while Alvarez heals up.
Luisangel Acuna- INF
While his 16-game stint in the majors last season impressed the organization, Acuna struggled in Triple-A last season and is struggling in spring training this year. Regardless, he is a prime defensive replacement or pinch-runner and could get starts at second when a lefty is on the mound. He will likely go back to Triple-A once McNeil returns.
Starling Marte- OF/DH
Marte is still here after the Mets tried to trade him. More importantly, he’s healthy, as he’ll split DH at-bats with Winker and get the occasional day in right field when Soto needs a night off.
Tyrone Taylor- OF
Taylor proved to be an invaluable part of the Mets’ outfield rotation. A plus defender who had his fair share of clutch at-bats last year, he will rotate in center with Siri and is a late-inning defensive specialist for either Nimmo or Soto.
