The New York Mets started the 2025 season with a lot of expectations as they have an MLB-leading payroll and one of the hottest stars in baseball, outfielder Juan Soto.
So far they have a 6-3 record on the National League East, which is good enough for second place, one game behind the leaders Philadelphia Phillies.
That’s not bad for a team that came within two wins of the World Series, falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers, who eventually beat the New York Yankees 4-1. The 2025 version of the Mets features plenty of pitching questions and plays in arguably MLB’s toughest division. As manager Carlos Mendoza likes to say, the Atlanta Braves and Phillies won’t feel sorry that New York are missing two of their top five pitchers out of the chute.
The Rizzler throws out the first pitch at Kids Opening Day
This Sunday, the Mets hosted the Kids Opening Day, with all children in attendance having the opportunity to enjoy pre-game entertainment at Mets Plaza. And the special guest for the day was The Rizzler, the social media personality from New Jersey.
The eight year old, known for his “rizz face” – a facial expression that involves squinting his eyes, pursing his lips, and stroking his chin – caused a buzz at Citi Field stadium – home of the New York Mets -, as the kids were excited to see one of them from the mound.
It was properly named “The Ceremonial First Rizz” and adult fans were not fans of the move. “Whoever booked this should be fired,” wrote an X user. “Here comes the downfall. Mets are the cringiest franchise ever,” stated another. “You really scraping the bottom of the barrel at this point.” an X user added.
Juan Soto is not going to solve all of the Mets problems
Even though Juan Soto adds a lot of offensive power for the New York Mets, the outfielder cannot solve all of the team’s problems that are going to show up during the long baseball season. And the Mets have plenty of pitching questions, so the rotation has to hold up.
The good thing for the second best team in New York is that they possess an elite lineup, an owner who’s willing to add when necessary and lots of upside throughout the roster. Soto, Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso are leading the way. The problem is that reliever-turned-starter Clay Holmes and several historically inconsistent pieces.
During the 2024 season, the Mets did well to mold Sean Manaea and Luis Severino into solid starters. They’ll need to do the same with a combination of Manaea, Holmes, Kodai Senga, Tylor Megill, Griffin Canning, David Peterson, Frankie Montas and Paul Blackburn.
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