While many in New York were celebrating Pete Alonso’s return to the Mets, there remains some skepticism. Alonso signed a two-year, $54 million contract and will join former Yankees slugger Juan Soto in the Mets’ lineup. However, former Yankees catcher Erik Kratz isn’t convinced this move will elevate the team to the top of their division—or even the National League.
“I’d still rank them third in the NL East,” Kratz said on Foul Territory. “The Braves and Phillies? You can lock them in. The Mets have too many ‘ifs’ and uncertainties.”
Kratz, who played 11 MLB seasons—including his final year with the Yankees in 2020—doesn’t view this through a Yankees-biased lens, and his opinion isn’t far-fetched. According to PECOTA projections, the Mets are expected to finish with 88.9 wins and secure a Wild Card spot, trailing both the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies. Meanwhile, the Yankees, despite losing Soto to the Mets on a massive 15-year, $765 million contract, are projected to win 89.7 games and claim their division.
Kratz isn’t alone in his skepticism. Host Scott Braun agreed that while the Mets might be better built for the postseason, their regular-season roster has gaps, particularly in the starting rotation. “This was the case last year as well,” Braun noted. “It’s just not a complete team.”
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