Trade deadline, Kodai Senga among 4 Mets storylines to watch for as second half begins

The Mets begin the second half of the 2024 campaign sitting in third place in the NL Wild Card race, holding the slimmest of margins over the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Diego Padres. Few could have predicted this in May when the Mets went 9-19 but inside the clubhouse, the consensus is that this is where the team expected to be.

They proved doubters outside of Citi Field wrong, but the Mets never doubted themselves. The team leaders didn’t want another uncompetitive summer and general manager David Stearns made shrewd moves to lengthen the lineup and provide pitching help.

More moves will be needed for the Mets to hold on to that Wild Card spot. Here are five things to watch for the rest of the way through as the Amazins’ begin their second-half playoff push in Miami.

TRADE DEADLINE

Stearns got a jump on the trade season July 9, when he dealt a player to be named later and cash considerations to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Phil Maton. He didn’t wait until the end of the month and didn’t run back some of the Triple-A arms that the Mets have been forced to use as of late.

This signals to the team his belief that they’re good enough to warrant trade help.

Stearns is expected to use his best asset in owner Steve Cohen’s money.

The Mets will look to hold on to their top organizational prospects, especially since some have taken big strides at the upper levels of the organization. The Maton trade provided an idea of what to expect. The Mets are paying the remainder of the right-hander’s $6.25 million salary. His contract has a $7.75 million team option for 2025 with a $250,000 buyout.

PITCHING PROBLEMS

The Mets have been without right-handed ace Kodai Senga all season, and the bullpen is currently without right-handers Drew Smith and Sean Reid-Foley, and left-hander Brooks Raley. Smith and Raley are out for the season after undergoing elbow surgeries, while Reid-Foley has a shoulder impingement for the second time this season. Veterans Jake Diekman (left-hander) and Adam Ottavino (right-hander) have both struggled.

Walks have plagued the Mets all season, allowing the second-most in the league to (362). They managed to limit them in June and somewhat in July, but just as they plugged one leak, another sprang.

The Mets have allowed a league-leading 27 homers this month. Could there be a correlation with the walks? Maybe. The Mets are throwing more fastballs on the first pitch in an effort to reduce the amount of balls and increase the strikes, but hitters are teeing off on those fastballs.

These trends have to be corrected.

KODAI SENGA’S RETURN

Senga could help correct them. Getting the staff ace back will be the biggest trade deadline “acquisition” of sorts. Right-hander Luis Severino and left-hander Sean Manaea have been reliable for the Mets without Senga, and rookie right-hander Chrisitan Scott has been impressive, even with some bumps in the road he’s had to work through.

But adding a dominant ace could provide a shot in the arm for the group.

A 2023 NL Rookie of the Year finalist, Senga’s ghost fork, pitching presence and velocity give the pitching staff a different look. It’s tough to remember what an event his starts were last season, but the Mets are already benefiting from an incredible atmosphere at Citi Field this summer and Senga loves performing for fans. He went 6-3 with a 2.42 ERA in 16 starts at home last year, as opposed to a 6-4 record with a 3.68 ERA on the road.

The pitching staff will look different when Senga returns. The Mets are carrying three long relievers in right-hander Adrian Houser, Dedniel Nuñez and Jose Butto. Manager Carlos Mendoza has enjoyed that luxury, but they may have to sacrifice one of those pitchers to get Senga back on the roster.

HOT HITTERS

Since the end of May, the Mets have led the league in OPS and have hit the second-most homers. Infielder Jose Iglesias, who started the season in Triple-A, has been impactful at the bottom of the order. Up top, Mendoza flipped Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Lindor, which might end up being his best move of the season. Both have posted an OPS over .900 since June, giving J.D. Martinez runners to drive in from the third spot in the order. Mark Vientos and Francisco Alvarez have added a whole lot of length.

Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil are in the midst of down seasons, but with a little luck and an aggressive approach, they could be back in business.

The lineup has been able to out-hit some so-so starting pitching performances and they’ve helped ease some of the pressure on relievers. It’s what could ultimately carry them through this summer as they compete with the Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Diamondbacks and Padres for a Wild Card spot.

Originally Published: July 19, 2024 at 7:28 p.m.