Mets preseason capsule: Juan Soto's arrival boosts expectations

New York Mets

2024 record: 89-73 (3rd place, NL East).

He gone: INF Jose Iglesias, RHP Luis Severino, LHP Jose Quintana, DH J.D. Martinez, OF Harrison Bader, RHP Adam Ottavino, RHP Phil Maton.

New faces: RF Juan Soto, OF Jose Siri, RHP Clay Holmes, RHP Frankie Montas, RHP Griffin Canning, LHP A.J. Minter, RHP Jose Urena.

Biggest question entering Opening Day: Can the Mets retain the magic and the endearingly overachieving vibe they created last season after signing Soto to the richest contract in sports history? Of course, with a payroll well beyond $300 million last season, the Mets weren't quite the little team that could. But they found a terrific chemistry in overcoming a 24-35 start, and the early signs are Soto is fitting in well with core members such as Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo and Pete Alonso. The quartet should anchor one of the best lineups in team history for the Mets, whose deciding issue is likely to be a rotation that was better than the sum of its parts -- and will open the season without Montas (oblique) and Sean Manaea (lat).

Top prospect: RHP Brandon Sproat made it to Triple-A in his first professional season last year and showed off a four-pitch arsenal, including a 98 mph fastball. He'll likely get a chance sooner rather than later for the Mets, who have several regression candidates in their rotation.

Breakout player: An injury to Jeff McNeil (oblique) gives INF Luisangel Acuna a chance to start at second base on Opening Day and begin proving his September surge (.308 with three homers in 39 at-bats) was the work of someone bored at Triple-A (where he hit .258 with seven homers in 547 at-bats).

2025 outlook: A spate of spring training injuries are concerning and the top of the NL East is loaded, but the Mets should return to the playoffs and are as good a candidate as anyone to take aim at the Dodgers again in the NLCS.

--Field Level Media