Last year, the surprising New York Mets won 89 games and earned a Wild Card spot, and they came within two wins of shocking the baseball world by returning to the World Series for the first time since 2015, and only the sixth time since joining the National League as an expansion team in 1962.
However, the Amazin’s could only amaze to a certain extent. After falling behind 3-1 in the NL Championship Series against the eventual World Series
Heading into 2025, the Mets struck early on their path to outperform last season, signing Milwaukee Brewers righty Frankie Montas to a two-year, $34 million deal more than a week before making the biggest splash of the offseason by signing generational slugger Juan Soto to a 13-year, $765 million contract.
champion Los Angeles Dodgers, the Mets rallied to within 3-2 before losing 10-5 in the sixth game to the Dodgers’ potent offense.
However, the Mets’ December spending frenzy had not yet ended. Shortly after Christmas, they re-signed starter Sean Manaea to a three-year contract worth $75 million. The 32-year-old was the driving force behind the Mets’ late-season playoff drive, posting a 3.40 ERA and 0.99 WHIP while striking out 127 batters in 124 1/3 innings from July 1 until the end of the season.
However, the Mets’ fortunes started to deteriorate as soon as spring camp began. On February 17, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said that Montas had a “high grade lat strain” and would be unable to throw for six to eight weeks.
Mendoza stated that even if Montas returned to the mound, he would need the equivalent of a full Spring Training to be ready for major league action. That means the Mets won’t see their big offseason pitching acquisition until at least June.