It has been quite the turnaround for the New York Mets in 2024 as the first half of the season comes to a close. After being as low as nine games under .500 at the end of May, New York’s record is 49-46 at the midway point of the season and now find themselves in a playoff spot after many thought it was going to be another disappointing season.
Despite the bullpen having its issues, the Mets offense has been one of the best in the National League since the start of June, and the team’s starting pitching has also seen quite a turnaround as well. While there have been many contributions from this team, these three players in particular deserve contract extensions from the Mets thanks to their first-half performance.
1. Francisco Alvarez
I think it is safe to say that the Mets have their catcher in Francisco Alvarez. The 22-year-old despite missing nearly six weeks of the season with a torn ligament in his thumb has become one of the leaders on this Mets team. That’s why he deserves a nice contract extension from the Mets.
We all have seen how good he can be with his bat on offense as his batting average currently sits at .296 in 137 at-bats, but his defense behind the plate is also something to take note. He’s only had two passed balls on his ledger and his fielding percentage has been a very solid .991% and Mets pitchers certainly prefer to throw to him in games that they’re pitching in. In games in which Alavarez has played in this year, the Mets have a record of 30-14 and in games in which he has not played in, the Mets have gone a dismal 19-32. So it is safe to say that his presence is certainly felt when he’s in the Mets lineup.
After a slow start to his career towards the end of the 2022 season and the beginning of last year, Alvarez has certainly elevated his game. From elite defense behind the plate, and showing that he can be a great slugger on offense for years to come, the Mets should not waste any more time to pay him. Despite missing a fair amount of time on the injured list, his first-half performance is still good enough to get a new contract extension.
2. Harrison Bader
The Mets brought in outfielder Harrison Bader for the flashy and elite defense he has shown throughout his MLB career. During his time on the St. Louis Cardinals, the New York Yankees and the Cincinnati Reds, Bader was very impressive with his glove in center field which is why the Mets decided to take a chance on him when they signed him to a one-year contract. And after his first-half performance with the Mets thus far, the Mets and Mets fans everywhere have really liked this guy which is why he deserves to be in Flushing Queens long-term.
While we all knew just how good he could potentially be on defense, his offense has been something to really take note of. At the midway point of the season, the outfielder has an impressive batting average of .273, has slugged eight home runs and has driven in 36 runs and has also swiped 13 stolen bases. Bader’s career-high in home runs in 16 he had with the Red Birds in 2021 and it looks like he could be on his way to tie or even set a new career high in long balls.
This by David Stearns that has looks like it has paid off so far. Bader has not only been elite with his glove out in the center field but has proven to also be a factor in the Mets lineup batting in the number nine spot. Hopefully, Bader can continue his strong first year with the Mets in the second half of the season, but so far, Bader is playing his way to a potential new contract in Flushing.
3. Luis Severino
The Mets took a huge risk when they signed veteran starting pitcher Luis Severino back in December on a one-year deal. The right-hander has pitched for the Yankees throughout his entire career before entering this season and has battled injuries and inconsistency during starts over the last few years in the Bronx. But after his first-half performance in his first season wearing orange and blue, I think Severino is very deserving of a new contract with the Mets.
Severino has made 18 starts for the Mets thus far and has gone 6-3 with a very respectable ERA of 3.78. While there have been hiccups in a few of his starts this season, Severino has also shown his ability to go deep into games in his last seven starts dating back to the first Week of June, he’s gone at least six innings in all of his outings. And with the Mets bullpen having its struggles as of late, that is a huge boost.
Another huge boost is that Severino has been able to stay healthy all season which was something I’m sure the Mets were concerned about entering this season. This should be a no-brainer at this point, the Mets have to keep Severino for the long haul as he’s even expressed the desire to stay here. After all, who’s going to hold up the “OMG” sign after every Mets home run if he does end up leaving?
