New York Mets DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil (biceps) is making his Grapefruit League debut on Tuesday night versus the St. Louis Cardinals, starting at second base and batting cleanup. The Mets have held McNeil out of big-league spring training action up to this point as he was dealing with left-biceps soreness earlier in camp that was related to the partial tear of his UCL from last year. The 31-year-old left-handed hitter will continue to serve as New York's starting second baseman, which gives him fantasy value in mixed leagues, but outside of a solid batting average floor, McNeil doesn't contribute all that much. McNeil is ranked as RotoBaller's No. 29 fantasy second baseman after slashing a disappointing .270/.333/.378 with 10 home runs, 55 RBI, 10 steals and 75 runs scored in 585 at-bats in 2023.

New York Mets corner infielder Mark Vientos went 2-for-4 with two runs and a three-run homer in Sunday's Grapefruit League matchup versus the Miami Marlins. Vientos now has four homers this spring with six RBI, but is hitting just .200 in 45 at-bats. The 24-year-old won't be beating out Pete Alonso for the first base gig, but his power may be enough to have him platoon with Brett Baty at third base and have regular at-bats as a designated hitter. The power has always been there for Vientos and he hit nine homers with 22 RBI in 218 big-league at-bats in 2023, but his .211 batting average was a big weakness. He is only an option in the deepest of leagues for now.

New York Mets second baseman/outfielder Jeff McNeil (biceps) will make his Grapefruit League debut on Tuesday after missing time due to left biceps discomfort. McNeil will play five innings in a minor league game on Sunday in preparation for his debut on Tuesday. He is expected to be ready for opening day on March 28th when the Mets host the Milwaukee Brewers. The 31-year-old looks to continue to be an important piece to the Mets' lineup after a down year, by his standards, in 2023. He'll look to improve on his .270/.333/.378 slash line from last season and is projected for a .280/.341/.394 slash line in 2024. With a current ADP of 255.7, McNeil will likely only provide value to fantasy managers in deeper leagues.

New York Mets right-hander Kodai Senga (shoulder) won't throw for another seven to 10 days, according to president of baseball operations David Stearns. After that, the Mets will get another round of imaging done on Senga to determine the next step. Senga's three-week shutdown has expired, but the team's "internal pacing" calls for a longer wait. The Mets just aren't going to take any chances with their 31-year-old ace to begin the season. He is recovering from a moderate posterior capsule strain in his right shoulder and will open the 2024 campaign on the injured list. Senga is pretty certain to miss the first month of the season at this point, which is obviously a pretty big hit to his fantasy appeal as a back-end starter after his impressive first season in the big leagues in 2023.

New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil (biceps) could play in a Grapefruit League game by Sunday, according to manager Carlos Mendoza. If he doesn't play by Sunday, McNeil should play in a game by next Tuesday. The 31-year-old is scheduled to play defense on Thursday in a minor-league game before facing live pitching in a batting practice session on Friday. The Mets have slow-played McNeil in camp this spring due to issues associated with the partial tear of his UCL that he suffered last year. McNeil is expected to be ready by Opening Day, but his elbow/biceps issue should be a concern after the poor quality of contact he displayed in 2023. He still makes a lot of contact and rarely strikes out, but McNeil doesn't offer much more than a solid batting average in fantasy.