2023 New Year’s Resolutions for the New York Mets

2023 has arrived and it brings a ton of hope for the New York Mets. After a successful 2022 that saw the Mets win 101 games, a slew of huge offseason additions have put the Mets in position to be a legitimate World Series favorite in 2023. We still have a few weeks to go before spring training, so let’s kill some of that downtime with a look at New Year’s resolutions that key members of the organization should follow.

Owner Steve Cohen

We know that Cohen will keep spending to keep the Mets relevant but he should resolve to be a bit more careful with his statements to the press. The ongoing Carlos Correa negotiations should resolve in the team’s favor. Still, Cohen did make things more difficult by commenting to the New York Post before the signing was official, opening him up to a huge grievance if the deal were to fall through.

GM Billy Eppler

Eppler should resolve to be more aggressive with his in-season moves if the Mets are a piece or two away from being a World Series favorite. A conservative approach last August likely cost the Mets the National League East title so Eppler should work to be more aggressive in 2023 if the opportunity presents itself.

Manager Buck Showalter

Showalter should resolve to work some of the Mets’ top prospects, namely Francisco Alvarez and Brett Baty, into key roles so they can add some more pop to the Mets’ lineup. The Mets were overly reliant on their veterans last season in a marked contrast to the Atlanta Braves, who used the spark from Michael Harris and Spencer Strider to post a remarkable turnaround.

Starting Pitchers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer

The Mets co-aces should resolve to be cautious with their health in order to ensure they are both fully available in October. With Verlander turning 40 and Scherzer hitting 38, stints on the injury list are to be expected but the Mets can’t afford to see either miss months at a time.

First Baseman Pete Alonso

Alonso should resolve not to put all the pressure on himself to be the team’s primary run producer. The Mets saw Alonso struggle down the stretch as he felt the need to try and crush a homer in clutch situations when simply taking what the opposing pitchers gave him would have gotten the job done.

Second Baseman Jeff McNeil

McNeil should resolve to continue working on his outfield defense to increase the versatility the Mets have on the defensive front. The team has yet to add a true fourth outfielder so there is a good shot McNeil will start as often in left field as he does at second base.

Shortstop Francisco Lindor

Lindor should resolve to help Correa get adjusted to the rigors of playing in New York smoothly. This market isn’t the easiest to handle and Lindor’s experience could be valuable for Correa.

Third Baseman Carlos Correa

Correa should resolve to become an elite defensive third baseman as quickly as possible. The Mets invested a lot of money in Correa’s bat but his defense at third could be a massive upgrade over Eduardo Escobar if he adjusts to the nuances of the position early in the season.

Outfielder Brandon Nimmo

Nimmo should resolve to be a bit more aggressive at the plate. While the Mets love Nimmo’s ability to work counts and get on base, he could benefit from more aggression in situations where runners are on base to generate more RBIs.

Closer Edwin Diaz

Diaz should resolve to build on his strong 2022 and firmly establish himself as the game’s best closer for years to come. There was a reason the Mets were so aggressive in re-signing Diaz, who became the team’s most valuable player last season, and they can’t reach their goals in 2023 if he regresses.