The star addition of Juan Soto and re-signing Pete Alonso in the off-season prompted the New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez to claim that they have the “best lineup in baseball,” leaving fans divided.
The Mets have been on a serious splurge in the offseason to boost their offense, including the historic 15-year, $765m deal for acquiring superstar Juan Soto from the Yankees, and the re-signing of Pete Alonso.
After the recent additions, the top order of the Mets’ batting unit could feature Soto, Alonso, Francisco Lindor, Mark Vientos, and Brandon Nimmo. This is after Vientos had a breakout 2024 season including 27 home runs, which was the third-best in the team, and hitting at an average of 0.327 in postseason.
Speaking to reporters before Spring Training, Mets’ catcher Alvarez said: “It is going to be a great lineup. We have the best lineup in baseball – we have a little bit of everything, so we can fight against anything.” But while the new acquisitions have certainly brought an added optimism, fans were divided on Alvarez’s claim.
One fan was quick to remind the Mets about their postseason defeat in 2024 to the eventual World Series winners, Dodgers. “Bro doesn’t remember the team that eliminated him? Does he just assume that Soto pushes them over the top,” they wrote.
A dismissive fan commented: “He must think he’s on the Dodgers!” while another agreed that the Dodgers were still the team to beat, saying: “Love the confidence but I would give LA the edge. The Mets definitely closed the gap.”
The Mets will play their first Spring Training game on February 22, when they face off against the Houston Astros, in the Cactus League. The 2025 MLB season will officially begin on March 18 with the season opener in Tokyo, Japan.
But one Mets fan was adamant, stating: “Let’s put it this way, if Alvarez puts last year’s dismal season behind him and he produces the way he can, Vientos has an equally productive year, McNeil returns to form and Marte stays healthy, Lindor, Soto, Nimmo, Alonso. Watch out! Smells like the best and if not, definitely one of the best.”
Meanwhile, manager Carlos Mendoza was similarly optimistic about the new look of the Mets’ roster in 2025, particularly with the boost in their offense after the signing of Soto, saying: “It was fun last year, especially the way we started the year, but we just have to play baseball. We’re here to win a championship, that’s the goal.”
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