Are the New York Mets contenders or pretenders in the battle for the 2022 World Series title?

The New York Mets' 2022 season has been special. The team currently leads the National League East by two games over the Atlanta Braves with a record of 80-46. The Mets are well on their way to their first playoff appearance since 2016. The question is, are the Mets a legitimate contender for the World Series in 2022?

How far can the New York Mets go this season?

The New York Mets certainly have the talent to make a run in the 2022 postseason as they have one of the most talented and highest payroll teams in the game. Perhaps the team's strength is their rotation. The Mets have one of the deepest rotations in all of baseball, including aces Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer.

Between deGrom and Scherzer, the two pitchers have a combined five Cy Young Awards and 12 All-Star appearances. When healthy, the two are the best duo in all of baseball. Over the past 99 starts for Jacob deGrom, he has posted an ERA of 1.96.

Outside of the top two in the rotation, the Mets have three above-average starting pitchers in Carlos Carrasco, Chris Bassitt, and Taijuan Walker. They all have an ERA below 4 and have double-digit wins.

The Mets team ERA is among the best in all of baseball at 3.56, which ranks third-best in the National League. In a short series, the Mets have plenty of starting pitching that can enable them to make a deep run in the postseason.

To add to this, Edwin Diaz has arguably been the best closer in the game. Diaz has been dominant, posting a 1.43 ERA, 17.5 strikeouts per nine innings and 28 saves.

The Mets offense has been excellent this season as well. Led by slugger Pete Alonso, who leads the team in home runs and runs batted in, the Mets offense ranks fifth in all of baseball in runs per game. Here's a look at the Mets' starting lineup when fully healthy.

Player

1. Brandon Nimmo, CF

2. Starling Marte, RF

3. Francisco Lindor, SS

4. Pete Alonso, 1B

5. Tyler Naquin/Daniel Vogelbach/Darin Ruf, DH

6. Jeff Mcneil, 2B

7. Mark Canha, LF

8. Eduardo Escobar, 3B (Currently on IL)

9. James McCann, C

The New York Mets appear to be one of the most complete teams in the game and have all the capabilities to make a deep run in October.

Final Verdict: Contenders

The final verdict is in, and without a doubt the New York Mets are contenders to make the World Series in 2022. Between the team's dominant starting pitching and bullpen, as well as their deep lineup, they have all the pieces to win it all in 2022.

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