A sub .500% record of 35-42 puts the New York Mets closer to that 10 games under even mark.
The highest payroll team in Major League Baseball is being beaten out by teams that have less than half of their $364M. For example, the Tampa Bay Rays have a payroll of $73M this season, or 20% of the Mets $364 standpoint, the Rays are 54-27 with the lead in the ALE as to the 4th place sitting Mets in the NLE. It is embarrassing at this point.
New York went out this offseason and signed closer Edwin Diaz to a 5-year/$102M contract, making him the highest paid relief pitcher in baseball history. Diaz has not played a single game this season and it is not expected he will play, due to injuring his patellar tendon in his right knee, during a celebration in the World Baseball Classic. To compensate for Diaz’s absence, David Robertson was signed to a 1-year/$10M contract, and he has been excellent all season long. The biggest downside comes at his production being limited due to New York not being able to use him unless they are winning.
39-year-old Justin Verlander also became a Met this offseason, signing a 2-year/$86M contract, with a third year option. The defending AL CY Young winner brought his talents to Citi Field and it seems like being a Met has made his talents age rapidly. Through just nine games, Verlander has a 2-4 record accompanied by a 4.50 ERA and a 1.212 WHIP in 52 innings.
Francisco Lindor has been on the roster since Cleveland traded him to the Mets before the 2021 season, where he would then ink a massive 10-year/$341M contract deal.
For a player who is carrying a $31.1M AAV, he should be one of the highest producers on the team, but it has been nothing like that. In 77 games this season, Lindor has 330 PA’s for a .221 BA with a .749 OPS. Total numbers in his Mets’ career include 363 games and splits of .247 / .326 / .435 / .749 with 60 home runs and 222 RBIs.
You can choose several different reasons as to why Mets baseball is in shambles; they have spent money and acquired key players, yet can’t beat ‘rebuilding teams’ and have gotten slapped around by divisional opponents. Undoubtedly big changes will happen if New York stays on the losing path, the question is just when and not if the changes will happen.
*STATS AS OF 6/26/23