Mets dream Opening Day lineup after free agency: Juan Soto and Luis Robert Jr. arrive
By Lior Lampert
The New York Mets were one of the most fun, exciting teams to follow throughout the 2024 MLB campaign. After falling to as many as 11 games below .500 in June, they were one of the hottest teams in baseball down the stretch. Ultimately, the club reached the postseason, only to fall short in the NLCS.
New York took the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers to six games in the NLCS. Albeit a disappointing result, the Mets knocked on the doorstep of the Fall Classic. Now, they'll look to build on their momentum this offseason in hopes of getting over the hump.
Mets owner Steve Cohen (by far) has deeper pockets than any proprietor in the league. So, after a successful year, you can imagine he'll be willing to spend big this winter. Notably, New York's been connected to the premier free agent on the market, Juan Soto. Reports suggest they appear to be the biggest threat to poach him from their crosstown rivals.
Ideally, regardless of his incredibly lofty projected demands, the Mets win the Soto sweepstakes. But if so, they'll have to reconfigure their roster around him, given how much he'll be getting paid. With that in mind, what would New York's perfect 2025 Opening Day lineup look like?
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Mets dream Opening Day lineup after free agency
Batting Order | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|
1 | Francisco Lindor | SS |
2 | Juan Soto | RF |
3 | Luis Robert Jr. | CF |
4 | Mark Vientos | 1B |
5 | Brandon Nimmo | LF |
6 | Yoán Moncada | 3B |
7 | Francisco Alvarez | C |
8 | Starling Marte | DH |
9 | Luisangel Acuña | 2B |
Mets replace Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil and Harrison Bader with Juan Soto, Luis Robert and Yoán Moncada
Unfortunately, Soto's presumed arrival in this scenario makes it unlikely the Mets will re-sign All-Star slugger Pete Alonso. New York can slide budding young infielder Mark Vientos to first base to counteract the Polar Bear's departure. Moreover, they can look for a more cost-effective third baseman, à la intriguing, high-upside unrestricted free agent Yoán Moncada.
To replace Harrison Bader, the best center fielder on the open market, the Mets can trade for Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. The latter boasts reasonably-priced club options for 2026 and 2027, so he can be more than a rental if he thrives. Alternatively, New York can cut ties after one year if the Cuban outfielder flounders, making him a fascinating, low-risk, high-reward player.
Lastly, you might notice Luisangel Acuña seizes the everyday second baseman spot from longtime Met and fan favorite Jeff McNeil. The younger brother of Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuña Jr. flashed his potential upon getting called up to the majors this past September.
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