The New York Mets have messed up plenty of times this season. The front office hasn’t found the right pieces for a championship run. Yet there’s one move that stands out as a clear win for the team. They signed right fielder Carson Benge, and that decision looks spot on right now.
A Rare Win in a Bad Year
This success won’t shock anyone the way a movie plot twist does. It won’t make you drop your coffee mug like a scene from “The Usual Suspects.” But it is real. According to reports, the Mets have struggled to get many things correct this season. You can blame David Stearns if you want to feel better about the failures. However, Benge is a different story. He beats out infield hits and plays with a grit the team needs.
While the rest of the roster has stumbled, Benge delivers consistent results. He is doing exactly what a team in trouble needs from a new player. This is not a small thing. In a season defined by errors, getting one player right matters more than you think.
Bo Bichette’s Exit Plan Fails
Not every move is a success for the Mets. The situation with Bo Bichette shows where the team is struggling. A rival executive told the New York Post that the chances for Bichette to opt out are zero. The player has another opt-out opportunity coming up with $84 million on the line. That is a lot of money to leave on the table.
Over the last three months, Bichette has been performing in his usual manner. He is transitioning nicely to third base. Yet the math doesn’t add up for him to leave. He is the fourth-highest paid player in MLB. He trails only Kyle Tucker, Juan Soto, and Cody Bellinger in salary. His OPS+ sits at 96, which isn’t good enough to gamble on free agency. The same source put the opt-out possibility at just 2 percent. That is a safe bet that he stays.
Green Finds Answers on the Mound
The recent run of wins shows the team has some hidden strengths. Under interim manager Andy Green, the team went 24-23. That record reveals possibilities for the rest of the year. Sean Manaea has found the ability to pitch with effectiveness once again. Zac Thornton appears to be a candidate for a back-end starting role. Kodai Senga might be a miracle find as closer. He is 4-for-4 so far in that role.
