New York Mets DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

New York Mets right-hander Kodai Senga hasn't been cleared to pitch in Grapefruit League games yet, according to manager Carlos Mendoza. Senga will have a couple more simulated outings in live batting practice, including on Wednesday. "A more controlled environment," Mendoza said. Despite Senga not being ready for spring training games yet, the feedback on his buildup/health continues to be positive after he was able to make only one regular-season start in 2024 due to calf and shoulder injuries. The 32-year-old is a prime bounce-back candidate for fantasy managers in 2025, but you should also be hesitant because of the fact that he threw only 10 1/3 innings last season. Even if he's ready for Opening Day in late March, expect the Mets to ease him into things early on, limiting his fantasy ceiling. Senga is ranked at No. 47 among fantasy starting pitchers at RotoBaller.

New York Mets left-hander Sean Manaea (oblique) has been diagnosed with a right-oblique strain and will most likely miss Opening Day at the end of March, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. Manaea will be shut down for a couple of weeks at spring training before restarting his spring progression. If everything goes well once he resumes throwing, Manaea could make his 2025 debut by mid- or late April. It's an early blow to the Mets' starting pitching, as the veteran left-hander was the team's top pitcher in 2024, going 12-6 with a 3.47 ERA over 32 starts. The 33-year-old signed a three-year, $75 million contract in the offseason to return to the Mets. With both Manaea and Frankie Montas (lat) injured, it increases the likelihood of Griffin Canning, Tylor Megill and Paul Blackburn (back) all making the Opening Day rotation.

New York Mets infield prospect Luisangel Acuna is expected to have a more significant role with second baseman Nick Madrigal (shoulder) sidelined. Madrigal suffered a dislocated shoulder during Sunday's spring training contest and could miss the start of the regular season. This now opens the door for Acuna to compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster and a consistent role in the starting lineup. Acuna made his MLB debut late in the 2024 season and held his own across a 14-game stint. He posted a .308/.325/.641 line with two doubles, three home runs, and one stolen base. He was also placed on the postseason roster. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Acuna's development as he will likely slot in as the backup option behind Jeff McNeil at the keystone and Francisco Lindor at shortstop. However, if he continues to perform well, he may earn the starting job at second base.

New York Mets third baseman Brett Baty has been taking ground balls in camp at shortstop, according to manager Carlos Mendoza. The skipper isn't ruling out Baty playing the position in exhibition games later in camp. "He's got the arm. It comes down to, can he get to the ball? Range and all that," Mendoza said. Baty's primary focus in spring training will be at third base and second base, though. The 25-year-old is slated to open the season as a utility infielder for the Mets, which makes sense that he's looking to increase his versatility around the infield to make himself more valuable in that role. He hasn't played anywhere besides third base in the big leagues, but he has played a little second and left field in the minors. Once one of the Mets' top prospects, Baty lost out on the third base gig in 2024 to Mark Vientos, and the re-signing of Pete Alonso didn't help Baty's cause this year.

New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (face) is ok after being hit by a ball in the face. Alonso was hit in the face during an infield drill on Thursday morning but was able to return to action later in the afternoon. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status in case he faces a setback. After being a free agent for the majority of the offseason, Alonso eventually resigned with the New York Mets. Earlier in February, Alonso signed a two-year $54 million contract. This deal includes an opt-out after the first season. Last season, the 30-year-old held a career-low .240/.329/.459 line with just 34 home runs and 88 RBI. During the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Alonso went deep at least 40 times and tallied at least 115 RBI in each campaign. Fantasy managers should expect Alonso to bat behind Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto in the everyday lineup, which should provide him with elite RBI opportunities that will set him up well for a bounce-back season.