Mets' Roster Gets a Healthier, Fresh Start for Second Half

New Look at the Mets’ Pitching and Roster Adjustments

The New York Mets are making a push to strengthen their roster as they head into the second half of the season. With the All-Star break behind them, the team is looking to build momentum with a more stable pitching rotation and some promising young talent stepping up.

In their final dozen games before the break, the Mets relied on a mix of pitchers including Huascar Brazobán, Chris Devenski, Brandon Waddell, and Justin Hagenman. While the team managed a 7-5 record during that stretch, the current pitching lineup doesn’t seem to be sustainable for long-term success. As a result, the Mets have made some strategic changes ahead of their upcoming series against the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field.

The team announced their starting pitchers for the three-game series, with Sean Manaea set to take the mound on Friday, followed by Clay Holmes and David Peterson. Kodai Senga and Frankie Montas are expected to start the next two games. These moves signal a shift in strategy, as the Mets look to rely on their more experienced and healthier pitchers moving forward.

Peterson, who was recently named an NL All-Star, has been a key contributor this season. The team is counting on Manaea, Senga, and Montas to stay healthy for the rest of the year after all three struggled with injuries throughout the first half. Manaea made his season debut just before the break, throwing 3 ¹/₃ innings of relief and striking out five batters. Senga also returned from a month-long absence due to a hamstring injury, pitching four scoreless innings in his comeback game.

However, the Mets still have concerns about their bullpen. Clay Holmes has already exceeded his previous major league high of 70 innings this season, reaching 103. He hasn’t completed six innings in any of his past six starts, which raises questions about his workload and effectiveness. If needed, the team could turn to Brandon Sproat, who has been dominant at Triple-A Syracuse with three straight scoreless starts. Nolan McLean has also shown promise, striking out 20 batters over 11 innings in his last two outings.

Another player to watch is Matt Allan, a former top pitching prospect whose career has been derailed by multiple Tommy John surgeries. He hasn’t pitched since June 10 with High-A Brooklyn due to elbow soreness and is currently on the 7-day injured list. However, there’s no structural damage, and he has resumed throwing. Allan had not pitched in a game since 2019 before returning to action with Low-A St. Lucie in April. He has since thrown 15 innings with the Brooklyn affiliate.

On the offensive side, Francisco Alvarez is working to revive his career after a tough stretch at the plate and behind the dish. Reports suggest he is expected to return to the Mets soon. Meanwhile, Ronny Mauricio has been a bright spot, hitting well in his past 14 games following knee surgery. His performance has improved significantly, with an OPS of .899 in that span. He has also been playing third base, where Mark Vientos continues to struggle. Vientos, who has been getting at-bats at DH due to injuries to Jesse Winker and Starling Marte, closed out the first half with a .263 batting average and three extra-base hits in 19 at-bats.

In other roster moves, the Mets announced the signing of Mitch Voit, the No. 38 pick in the draft. This addition brings more depth to the organization as they prepare for the challenges ahead.

With these adjustments, the Mets are aiming to build a stronger foundation for the remainder of the season. The focus remains on keeping key players healthy, developing young talent, and making strategic moves to improve their chances of competing in the second half.