New York Mets DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

New York Mets outfielder Tyrone Taylor (elbow, hernia) was seen taking part in the team's full-squad spring training workout on Wednesday. Taylor looks fully healthy in camp after having multiple surgeries late last year -- one to remove a loose body in his right elbow and the other being an umbilical hernia repair. Superstar Juan Soto will be the team's everyday right fielder in 2025, but the 31-year-old Taylor could see plenty of playing time in center field now that Harrison Bader is in Minnesota. However, he'll be competing this spring with veteran Starling Marte and Jose Siri in center. Taylor made 76 starts for the Mets last year as their fourth outfielder and hit .248/.299/.401 with seven homers, 35 RBI and a career-high 11 stolen bases. At best, he's likely ticketed for a platoon role, which will limit his fantasy value to deep-mixed and NL-only leagues.

The Athletic's Dan Hayes writes that Minnesota Twins outfielder Harrison Bader, who is primarily a center fielder and won a Gold Glove at the position in 2021, will see a significant amount of playing time in left field in 2025 in his first year in Minnesota. Bader's last 651 defensive appearances have come in center field dating back to 2018. However, Byron Buxton is entrenched in center field. The 30-year-old veteran has only logged 58 2/3 innings in the majors in left field, but he has experience in the corners from his days in college. Bader's best asset is his glove, so fantasy-wise, RotoBaller doesn't have him ranked as a top-100 outfielder going into 2025. He had a .496 OPS in his final 157 plate appearances last year with the Mets and started just twice in 12 playoff games last fall. Bader can be useful in deeper fantasy leagues with his modest power/speed profile.

Right-handed relief pitcher Adam Ottavino signed a minor-league contract with the Boston Red Sox. This deal also includes an invitation to spring training. Ottavino spent the 2021 campaign in Boston but has spent the past three seasons in Queens. Last summer, Ottavino held a 4.34 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP across 56 innings with the Mets. He generated a strong 3.19 xERA, which suggests he should see some regression when he returns to the mound. However, during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, the right-hander was very effective as he held a 2.62 ERA and a strong 1.09 WHIP across 127 1/3 innings. During this stretch, he tallied 141 punchouts and added 32 holds. Fantasy managers should expect the 39-year-old to compete for a bullpen role in Boston. If he cracks the Opening Day roster, he could eventually earn a high-leverage role.

New York Mets relief pitcher Dedniel Nunez (forearm) reportedly had a small army of coaches to come watch him throw this weekend. Nunez showed a ton of potential during the 2024 season, but sadly it was cut short due to injuries. He missed a majority of the second half of the season due to forearm tightness. The good news is that Nunez is fully healthy heading into spring training. The Mets plan to bring Nunez along slowly, so it's unclear if he'll be ready for Opening Day. When healthy, Nunez figures to be a significant part of the bullpen in New York. Last season, Nunez registered a 2.31 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and 48/8 K/BB ratio across 25 games. There won't be a ton of fantasy value for Nunez with Edwin Diaz being the primary closer. However, Nunez could be asked to do occasional closer duties and could be a potential fill-in if Diaz ever misses time.

New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga (calf, shoulder) was able to throw a successful live batting practice session this weekend at spring training. The 32-year-old was reportedly all smiles coming off the mound as he works his way back from calf and shoulder injuries that limited him to just one regular-season start in 2024. The Mets are reportedly going to use a six-man starting rotation in 2025, which should be a benefit to Senga. The move to a six-man rotation will probably somewhat limit Senga's fantasy value early in the year, but the key right now is keeping the right-hander healthy.