2020 New York Mets Predictions and Odds to Win the World Series

by Robert Ferringo - 3/19/2020

I've been a Mets fan for 35 years. So I speak of them with sincerity, seriousness and experience. And if there is anything that I have learned in this time, it's never trust the Mets.

Never. Trust. The Mets.

Whenever the Mets enter the season with anything resembling expectations or hope, they do everything in their power to smother the life out of any promise they may have had. This usually involves spectacular meltdowns and surreal, self-inflicted blunders both on and off the diamond. Any Mets campaign that begins with optimism will end in disgust and disgrace.

So with that warning in mind, I can say that, objectively speaking, the Mets actually do have an exciting roster and could be a real threat in the National League this season. New York has arguably the best rotation in baseball. And if they get healthy and productive seasons from some of their aging veterans, this lineup could be dangerous as well.

New York Mets 2020 Projected Lineup (updated expert MLB picks daily)

1. Michael Conforto - OF

2. Jeff McNeil - 3B

3. Pete Alonso - 1B

4. Yoenis Cespedes - OF

5. Robinson Cano - 2B

6. J.D. Davis - OF

7. Wilson Ramos - C

8. Amed Rosario - SS

9. Pitcher

The Mets are in an interesting position. Because of the extended Spring Training (I guess that's what we'll call the Coronavirus-induced suspension of play), they should get one of their best players, Yoenis Cespedes, back fully healthy. He has played only 129 games the past two seasons combined. But when he's been healthy, he's produced a .282/.346/.543 slash line in New York and brought significant sizzle to the Mets lineup. Cespedes is also in a contract year, so he should be focused and ready to produce at a high level.

Pete Alonso is coming off one of the greatest rookie seasons ever. And Michael Conforto, Jeff McNeil and J.D. Davis are all around 27 years old and entering their primes. The trio combined for 78 home runs and 224 runs batted in last year with an average OPS of .889.

A major X-factor will also be Robinson Cano. The 37-year-old will never revert back to his MVP form and looked like a shell of himself through last year's disappointing, injury-addled campaign. However, much like Cespedes, Cano would benefit from a shortened season. If he does have anything left in the tank, he will be able to max out and won't have to worry about pacing himself.

The Mets don't have much depth off the bench. Jed Lowrie can play multiple positions and should be healthy by midsummer. And Brandon Nimmo gives New York a valuable fourth outfielder that can also leadoff.

New York Mets 2020 Projected Rotation And Closer

1. Jacob deGrom (R)

2. Noah Syndergaard (R)

3. Marcus Stroman (R)

4. Rick Porcello (R)

5. Steve Matz (L)

CL. Edwin Diaz

This is the real strength of the Mets. Syndergaard, deGrom and Stroman are as good of a 1-2-3 as there is in baseball. Former Cy Young winner Rick Porcello was a great buy-low option in the offseason, and Steve Matz still has untapped potential after striking out 305 batters over the last two seasons. New York also has former 17-game winner Michael Wacha as insurance.

Again, a truncated season means that the Mets can be a little more aggressive with their dominating starting pitching. Rather than having to worry about innings limits and overextension, they can turn guys like deGrom and Thor loose. That will help take the pressure off a bullpen that was a disaster last year, posting a 4.95 ERA.

Of course, a lot of the Mets season rests on the bounce back of closer Edwin Diaz. Spoiler alert: it's not going to happen. First of all, the Mets closer position is cursed. I like to refer to it as The Franco Curse. I feel like it all goes back to Game 1 of the 2000 World Series. I believe if Bobby Valentine had gone to John Franco to close Game 1, the Mets would've won that series. Instead, they went to all-time loser Armando Benitez, and the rest is history.

Since that point, the Mets closer position has been a horror show. And Diaz's 2019 performance is the latest brutality. And that's the second point; I don't think Diaz is that good. And the Mets may need to tap some of their other options if Diaz flames out again.

Dellin Betances has a career 2.36 ERA and has been dominating in the setup role. Former Mets closer and noted scumbag Jeurys Familia - the man that singlehandedly lost the Mets the 2015 World Series - could reprise his role. And lefty Justin Wilson is a dark horse candidate to fill in as the closer in a pinch.

New York Mets Odds To Win The World Series

As of March 2, prior to "The Happening", the Mets were 20-to-1 to win the 2020 World Series. That was actually down from a November open of 16-to-1. Sportsbooks have suspended futures betting for obvious reasons. But if the Mets odds stay in that range, they could be an intriguing long shot.

New York Mets 2020 Predictions

I am basing all of my predictions on my belief in an 81-game season that starts on July 1. I have absolutely no inside information about MLB's plans for the 2020 season. However, for the sake of discussion, 81 games are what I have in mind while writing these previews.

The Mets are definitely one of the teams that could benefit from a shortened season. The strength of their starting pitching and the high-end capability of some of their aging (and injury prone) position players means that New York has the goods. They last won the division in 2015 and last made the playoffs in 2016. But this team won 86 games last year and they went 48-29 after July 1 last season.

However, this is the point where I refer you back to my initial statement regarding the New York Mets. This team has the capability to be a real threat to win the World Series in whatever type of season we have this year. And fewer games equal fewer chances at implosion. But nothing about the history of this organization tells us that we should expect them to ever live up to that potential. Caveat emptor.

Robert Ferringo is a professional sports bettor and handicapper for Doc’s Sports and is considered one of the top MLB betting experts in the country. He has posted three consecutive winning MLB seasons and closed the 2019 season on a +$10,000 baseball run for his followers. Robert has beaten the books for six of seven profitable seasons on the diamond and is looking forward to another winning season for his clients. If you would like some help winning more bets in MLB this season the good news is that you can try out Ferringo’s MLB picks for free when you set up your complimentary $60 account here.

Start:	September 22, 2020 @ 9:00 PM
Expert:	Vernon Croy
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2020 New York Mets Predictions and Odds to Win the World Series

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