3 Reasons why New York Mets could be a bust in 2023 despite major offseason acquisitions

The story of the offseason has been Steve Cohen and the New York Mets' free-agent spending spree. The team has spent over $806 million this offseason, acquiring some of the biggest free agents on the market, as well as re-signing several key pieces.

Pending the outcome of the Carlos Correa saga, the Mets will have signed Justin Verlander, Carlos Correa, Omar Narvaez, Kodai Senga, Jose Quintana, and David Robertson.

Not to mention, the New York Mets also re-signed some of their own free agents, including Edwin Diaz, Brandon Nimmo, and Adam Ottavino. The team also traded for Brooks Raley and Elieser Hernández.

"The addition of Carlos Correa has the Mets' potential Opening Day lineup looking absolutely LOADED. This is with Eduardo Escobar, Francisco Álvarez, Brett Baty, and others still currently on the roster as options" - SNY Mets

While the excitement for the 2023 Mets is understandable, there are a few factors that may prevent them from winning the World Series.

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1. The injury bug could derail the New York Mets' 2023 season

Injuries may be a major factor in determining if the New York Mets are to win their first World Series title since 1986. Although the roster is loaded with talent, some of their top stars have either struggled with injuries in the past or are among the oldest in the league.

Their two aces, Max Scherzer (38) and Justin Verlander (39), are already defying the history of a pitcher's late-stage effectiveness. Verlander, for one, has already required Tommy John Surgery once in his career, whereas Scherzer has struggled through multiple injuries throughout his.

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2. The Mets are not the only team that got better

While the New York Mets have landed several stars, other teams in the NL, including the San Diego Padres and the Philadelphia Phillies, have also loaded up.

San Diego signed one of the biggest names on the open market, landing Xander Bogaerts on an 11-year, $280 million deal. Bogaerts joins a star-studded Padres lineup that features the likes of Juan Soto, Manny Machado, and Fernando Tatis Jr.

"Bogaerts > Lindor, Machado > Correa, Anyone > Alonso, Nola > Alvarez, Tatis > McNeil, Soto > Marte, Carpenter > Vogelbach, Grisham > Canha, Cronenworth > Guillorme. Padres lineup clears the Mets lineup" - @FriarRigoSD

Philadelphia, on the other hand, added superstar Trea Turner to their powerful lineup. The Phillies, who lost in the World Series last season, also signed pitchers Taijuan Walker and Matt Strahm.

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3. The historical failures of super teams in the past

Year in and year out, teams fail to live up to the hype surrounding them. The unpredictability of the MLB playoffs can be both frustrating and immensely satisfying. More often than not, the favorite heading into the season fails to capture the World Series.

Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer were already part of a team that seemed primed to win a World Series. The 2014 Detroit Tigers, which featured Verlander, Scherzer, and David Price, looked unstoppable on paper, yet they went on to win zero playoff games.

"5 starters from the Detroit Tigers 2014 Roster now have Cy Young Awards! Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello, David Price, and now, Robbie Ray!" - @AquaX107

The 2015 Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team in history to have a payroll exceeding $300 million, however, they failed to make it past the NLDS. Ironically, the 2015 Dodgers lost to the New York Mets.