Here are five questions Billy Eppler should answer at the GM Meetings that will take place in Las Vegas starting on Nov. 7…
Are the Mets likely to exceed the top luxury tax threshold?
With the Mets aiming to bring back at least a couple of their big internal free agents and planning to be big-time players at the high end of the free-agent market for external players, it’s fair to believe that their payroll is about to skyrocket.
Per Cot’s Baseball Contracts, the Mets have roughly $205 million committed to the payroll for 2023, which includes player benefits, the money owed to 40-man players in the minors, and other things that are factored in for luxury tax purposes. Money owed to their many arbitration-eligible players will bring that to around $232 million, but a big chunk will come off the books if Jacob deGrom leaves.
Speaking at the Mets’ end-of-season news conference, Eppler discussed the potential budget, but did not get into specifics when it came to whether the Mets would be crossing the top luxury tax threshold of $290 million.
If the Mets are going to put themselves in the best position to contend in 2023, they will not only have to exceed the $290 million threshold but likely go well past it, with the plan being to get back under it in a year or two. Does Eppler have the all-clear to do it?
How might the timing of Jacob deGrom‘s decision impact the Mets’ offseason plans?
With every starting rotation spot heading into 2023 up in the air except the one occupied by Max Scherzer, the situation with deGrom is both difficult and tricky from a timing perspective.
That’s because as the Mets decide whether they want to commit a massive amount of dollars to deGrom (and deGrom decides where he wants to be), the Mets will have to be aggressive filling in most of the rotation around him.
How long can the Mets afford to wait? And are they comfortable potentially losing Chris Bassitt or missing out on a free agent like Justin Verlander while deGrom makes up his mind?
Will there be an emphasis on adding more punch to the offense?
The Mets’ offense in 2023 was contact-first and often very successful as they were in the top five in the majors as far as runs scored. But while the Mets often did a great job situationally, their offense lacked punch.
That lack of punch was especially evident during the Mets’ late-season sweep at the hands of the Braves in Atlanta that cost them the NL East, and again during Game 1…