Here is the Mets' 2024 Opening Day roster
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NEW YORK -- The most notable part of the Mets¡¯ Opening Day roster is who isn¡¯t there. J.D. Mart¨ªnez, who signed late in Spring Training, will miss the opener against the Brewers -- postponed until Friday at 1:40 p.m. ET by inclement weather -- and won¡¯t join the team until at least early April as he spends the next 10 days ramping up in the Minors.
But 26 other Mets made the roster, which features mostly veteran talent with some young players sprinkled here and there:
Catchers (2): Francisco Alvarez, Omar Narváez
Entering what¡¯s technically still his first full season, Alvarez will be the unquestioned starter with significant breakout potential at age 22. He impressed all camp long, particularly with his defense. Narv¨¢ez is set to return as the backup and should start behind the plate one to two times per week. If anything happens to one of those two, Tom¨¢s Nido will be eager for a chance to return to the big leagues.
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First basemen (1): Pete Alonso
Alonso, whose impending free agency was a storyline early in camp, will return for his final season of team control. The 29-year-old has averaged 156 games per season in each of his first four full MLB campaigns and will be looking to remain similarly durable throughout his walk year. In a pinch, DJ Stewart can play first base as well.
Second baseman (1): Jeff McNeil
McNeil spent most of March battling a sore left biceps muscle, but he returned to game action in late March and is ready for Opening Day. He¡¯ll slot back at his natural position of second base despite playing lots of outfield in recent years. McNeil¡¯s primary backup will be veteran Joey Wendle, at least until No. 3 prospect Luisangel Acu?a is ready for the Majors. Jett Williams could also eventually get some run at the position, though the Mets are limiting their top overall prospect to shortstop and center field right now.
Shortstop (2): Francisco Lindor, Zack Short
Much like Alonso, Lindor is a rock who has played in 321 of a possible 324 games the past two seasons. The Mets are expecting more of the same from a player who just turned 30 and remains in the thick of his physical prime. If he needs a breather, Short and Wendle can both fill in for him, with the former earning a surprise spot on the Opening Day roster.
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Third basemen (2): Brett Baty, Joey Wendle
With Ronny Mauricio likely out for the season as he recovers from right knee surgery, Baty is receiving every opportunity to be the Mets¡¯ regular third baseman. If the former first-round Draft pick falters, Wendle has the experience to play every day in his stead, while Short would be happy to step in as well. But if Baty thrives, Wendle can bounce between second, third and shortstop, offering others rest days as needed.
Outfielders (4): Brandon Nimmo, Starling Marte, Harrison Bader, Tyrone Taylor
The starters, from left to right, are Nimmo, Bader and Marte, with Taylor tagging in on a regular basis. Stewart is also a candidate to play in right field from time to time, but he¡¯s more likely to see the lion¡¯s share of his reps at DH.
DH (1): DJ Stewart
Stewart will open the season in this spot while Martinez -- who signed a one-year deal with the Mets on Thursday -- works his way back into playing shape at Triple-A Syracuse. The assignment could be brief, though a hot start from Stewart could tempt the Mets to keep him as a lefty bench option while demoting Short instead.
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Starting pitchers (5): José Quintana, Luis Severino, Sean Manaea, Adrian Houser, Tylor Megill
Senga¡¯s injury created an opening for Megill to step in as the fifth starter after finishing last season strong and developing a split-fingered fastball, which team officials believe can play in the Majors. Megill initially faced competition in the form of Joey Lucchesi, Jos¨¦ Butt¨® and Max Kranick, but Kranick suffered a hamstring strain early in camp and Lucchesi didn¡¯t distinguish himself. Butt¨® did, but he¡¯ll start out in Triple-A regardless.
? With Senga out, rock-solid Quintana to start opener
Relief pitchers (8): Edwin Díaz, Brooks Raley, Adam Ottavino, Jake Diekman, Jorge López, Drew Smith, Michael Tonkin, Yohan Ramirez
The headliner here is D¨ªaz, who will return to play after missing all last season recovering from knee surgery. Raley, Ottavino and Smith are also set to reprise their roles from the 2023 bullpen, along with multiple newcomers. After deliberating for much of spring, the Mets managed to carry both Tonkin and Ram¨ªrez with their final two spots by placing a third contender, Sean Reid-Foley, on the injured list.
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Injured list (5): Kodai Senga, David Peterson, Ronny Mauricio, Max Kranick, Sean Reid-Foley
Senga won¡¯t return until May at the earliest, and it¡¯s possible his absence could linger late into that month. Peterson is out until at least late May as he recovers from hip surgery. Mauricio is likely to miss the entire season. Kranick¡¯s timeline, like Senga¡¯s, isn¡¯t entirely clear, but he should be an option in the first half of the season. Reid-Foley dealt with arm fatigue in March and was purportedly healthy coming out of camp, but he landed on the injured list with a right shoulder impingement on the eve of the regular season.
? Mets injuries and roster moves