The New York Mets will start the 2025 MLB season with a slightly revamped lineup, but one that will have major strengths, up and down the lineup.
During the 2024 baseball season, one of the best moves made by manager Carlos Mendoza, was putting Francisco Lindor in the leadoff spot. That move solidified the rest of the lineup, with a player that not only has a great knack for getting on base, but can steal bases, and go first to third in a heart beat.
Back in the good ole days of baseball, speed was a major factor in how lineups were written out, especially with a guy with speed and a skill of getting on base, to be the lead-off hitter. As time has evolved, teams wanted to have their power batter lead off the game, to give him more at bats, but in reality, that bat should be in a position to be able to drive in runners who can fly around the bases.
But now you add a player that not only has speed, but also has a power bat and it’s the best situation against any defense.
Lindor was moved into the top spot in the lineup on May 18, 2024 and after struggling through the first month and a half of the season, the move lit a fire in the Puerto Rican native that set him on a path to much success. Two days after the move, Lindor went on an 11-game hitting streak from the end of May to June 1st. Then from June on, Lindor carried a hot bat and the Mets were the beneficiary of a season that turned around because of the skippers belief in what his shortstop could do at the plate.
After the leadoff spot, not only do opposing pitchers have to get through Lindor, but now they will have to find ways around Juan Soto, Pete Alonso, Mark Vientos and Brandon Nimmo, just in the first five spots in the lineup.
The combination of Lindor, Soto and Alonso alone can be three straight 30 homer guys, and the lineup is still not complete.
In 2024, Vientos hit 27 home runs, and Nimmo hit 23; but wait it doesn’t stop there because after the 5th spot in the lineup, you still have the combination of Jesse Winker and Starling Marte at DH. Back in 2021, Winker hit 24 home runs with the Cinncinatti Reds in only 110 games. So the potential is there for a big output, especially with the opportunity to play a full season with the Mets. But even if he shares the DH spotlight, Marte is also capable of putting up at least 20 home runs, so if the Mets got 15 a piece from each, that is 30 home runs from the 6th hole in the lineup.
Still not done yet, as Francisco Alvarez will most definitely have a much better 2025 season, then he did in 2024. Just two seasons ago, the Venezuelan native hit 25 home runs from the bottom of the lineup and with being healthier this season, the expectations are huge for a major comeback to the power numbers.
The Mets are slated now to possibly have Jeff McNeil in the 8th hole, barring any spring season trades, and if he can find his sweet swing again, it wont matter about the power, his clutch hits will drive in runs.
At the bottom of the order, the Mets are not lacking, as this is where the speed bookmarks the lineup, as Tyrone Taylor and Jose Siri are both horses that can run with the best of them.
Taylor was a great addition to the Mets in 2024, as he provided ample offense, stealing 11 bases in 13 attempts, but also running down balls in the outfield with ease. As for Siri, he is new to the Mets, but he too brings A+ speed to the mix with some pop in his bat. Last season for the Tampa Bay Rays, Siri hit 18 home runs in 130 games, which was just a season out from hitting 25 home runs in 101 games in 2023. He also showed off his wheels by swiping 26 of 30 bases since 2023.
Overall, the Mets have a dangerous lineup, and mostly because they have some guys coming off productive seasons and others with something to prove, which is a huge recipe for success.
Skipper Mendoza will surely mix things up a bit in 2025, but if he sticks to the core of speed+power at the top of the lineup and speed+power at the bottom of the lineup, everything else in between will win ball games.
The Mets will surprise some teams who won’t see it coming as this revamped lineup, is more dangerous then the team that advanced to Game 6 of the NLCS last season.
It will be very exciting to be a Mets fan in 2025.
