The 2010s have been an up and down decade for the New York Mets. With 2019 being the last, let’s rank every edition from 2010-19.
What a decade it has been. We saw the club capture their first National League pennant since 2000. However, we’ve also seen four fourth-place finishes in the NL East and the team churn through three different managers.
Such a roller-coaster ride has become commonplace for New York Mets fans. With 2019’s team wrapping up the decade, I thought it would be a fun exercise to rank every edition of the Mets since 2010.
Let’s jump right in.
10. 2017
Record: 70-92, 4th in NL East
In what proved to be Terry Collins‘s final season as manager, the Mets posted their worst record since 2009. Fresh off back-to-back postseason appearances, this club had high expectations. Injuries to Noah Syndergaard, Yoenis Cespedes, Steven Matz and others derailed this season before it even really got started.
- Top hitter: Michael Conforto – 109 games, .279/.384/.555, 27 HR, 68 RBI, 3.9 bWAR
- Top pitcher: Jacob deGrom – 31 starts, 15-10, 3.53 ERA, 1.187 WHIP, 4.5 bWAR
9. 2012
Record: 74-88, 4th in NL East
Twenty-twelve was a season-long celebration of the Mets’ 50th anniversary. Other than R.A. Dickey‘s unexpected Cy Young and Johan Santana throwing the first, and still only, no-hitter in team history, there were not many bright spots. The club actually got off to a 46-40 start before limping to the finish line.
- Top hitter: David Wright – 156 games, .306/.391/.492, 21 HR, 93 RBI, 7.1 bWAR
- Top pitcher: R.A. Dickey – 34 games (33 starts), 20-6, 2.73 ERA, 1.053 WHIP, 5.7 bWAR
8. 2013
Record: 74-88, 3rd in NL East
The second-straight 74-88 season for the Mets, 2013 was best known for the emergence of Matt Harvey. With the All-Star Game being played at Citi Field, “The Dark Knight” got the unique opportunity to start the game at his home park. 2013 also marked the first time the Mets swept the New York Yankees in the Subway Series, despite the Yankees finishing with a record that was 11 games better.
- Top hitter: David Wright – 112 games, .307/.390/.514, 18 HR, 58 RBI, 5.9 bWAR
- Top pitcher: Matt Harvey – 26 starts, 9-5, 2.27 ERA, 0.931 WHIP, 5 bWAR
7. 2018
Record: 77-85, 4th in NL East
Mickey Callaway‘s first season as skipper began with a bang. The team won 11 of their first 12 games and finished April leading the NL East at 17-9. However, the team went just 60-76 the rest of the way and were eliminated from playoff contention in mid-September. On the bright side, Jacob deGrom captured his first Cy Young Award with an MLB-leading 1.70 ERA.
- Top hitter: Brandon Nimmo – 140 games, .263/.404/.483, 17 HR, 47 RBI, 4.4 bWAR
- Top pitcher: Jacob deGrom – 32 starts, 10-9, 1.70 ERA, 0.912 WHIP, 10.1 bWAR
6. 2011
Record: 77-85, 4th in NL East
Twenty-eleven was Terry Collins and Sandy Alderson’s first season in Queens. This edition of the Mets struggled from the get-go as they went 4-11 in their first 15 games. In my opinion, the coolest moment of the season took place at Citizens Bank Park. The entire crowd broke out in “U-S-A!” chants after the news of Osama bin Laden being killed by US Special Forces in Pakistan made its way out.
“A good win for us, and obviously a huge win for America tonight,” Collins said after the 14 inning win.
Some things are bigger than baseball.
- Top hitter: Jose Reyes – 126 games, .337/.384/.493, 7 HR, 44 RBI, 39 SB, 4.6 bWAR
- Top pitcher: R.A. Dickey – 33 games (32 starts), 8-13, 3.28 ERA, 1.227 WHIP, 3.5 bWAR
5. 2019
Current record: 24-25, 3rd in NL East
Obviously, this year’s team is the toughest to peg because it is an unfinished product.
So far, injuries have hit this team hard. While Yoenis Cespedes will not be returning in 2019, Robinson Cano, Jeff McNeil, Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo are all expected back in the near future.
Following last weekend’s sweep at the hands of the Miami Marlins, the outlook on this club was pretty bleak. Fortunately, the team took advantage of the Washington Nationals being down and have now won four in a row.
Perhaps we were a little early to panic. If the team can navigate the current storm of injuries and hang around the .500 mark, it’s not unreasonable to think that we could at least be a player in the NL Wild Card race.
- Top hitter: Michael Conforto – 42 games, .271/.406/.521, 9 HR, 21 RBI, 2 bWAR
- Top pitcher: Jacob deGrom – 10 starts, 3-5, 3.72 ERA, 1.138 WHIP, 1.2 bWAR
4. 2010
Record: 79-83, 4th in NL East
Twenty-ten was a very strong year for the NL East. The Phillies and Braves each won 90-plus games and the Marlins won 80 games. For comparison’s sake, the Mets also went 79-83 in 2014 and they finished second in the division.
You’ve probably noticed a theme by this point, but the Mets had a great month of April in 2010. After the first month of the season, the club had a 14-9 record and 1.5 game lead in the division. The wheels began to fall off in a 12-17 month of May and the club just couldn’t keep pace with the Phillies and Braves.
GM Omar Minaya and manager Jerry Manuel were relieved of their duties following the season.
- Top hitter: Angel Pagan – 151 games, .290/.340/.425, 11 HR, 69 RBI, 37 SB, 5.3 bWAR
- Top pitcher: Johan Santana – 29 starts, 11-9, 2.98 ERA, 1.176 WHIP, 4.9 bWAR
3. 2014
Record: 79-83, 2nd in NL East
Even though they finished four games under .500, 2014 was the Mets best finish in the NL East since 2008.
There was actually quite a bit that went right for this club. Lucas Duda broke out with 30 home runs and deGrom put himself on the map with his NL ROY performance. While Matt Harvey missed the entire season due to Tommy John surgery in October 2013, the team brought in fan favorite Bartolo Colon.
Twenty-fourteen was, unfortunately, the beginning of David Wright’s downfall. Early the season, the 3B suffered a left rotator cuff injury that hampered him both offensively and defensively. Wright played in 134 games, but hit only eight home runs and committed 15 errors.
- Top hitter: Juan Lagares – 116 games, .281/.321/.382, 4 HR, 47 RBI, 13 SB, 5.3 bWAR
- Top pitcher: Jacob deGrom – 22 starts, 9-6, 2.69 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 3.5 bWAR
2. 2016
Record: 87-75, 2nd in NL East
Making the postseason for the second consecutive year, the Mets fell in the 2016 NL Wild Card Game due to a virtuoso performance by San Francisco Giants LHP Madison Bumgarner.
The club was under .500 as late as Aug. 20, but won 27 of their final 40 games to make consecutive postseasons for just the second time in franchise history.
Sandy Alderson acquired OF Jay Bruce from the Cincinnati Reds in August and the veteran played a vital role in the team’s postseason push. Bruce hit eight home runs and drove in 19 runs in just 50 games as a Met in 2016.
- Top hitter: Yoenis Cespedes – 132 games, .280/.354/.580, 31 HR, 86 RBI, 3.1 bWAR
- Top pitcher: Noah Syndergaard – 31 games (30 starts), 14-9, 2.60 ERA, 1.149 WHIP, 5.8 bWAR
1. 2015
Record: 90-72, 1st in NL East
Did you expect anything else?
Our first pennant-winner since 2000 and our only first-place divisional finish, the 2015 Mets were clearly the top team of the decade.
The early-season suspension of Jenrry Mejia led to the emergence of Jeurys Familia and the mid-season addition of Cespedes was magical. Cespedes hit 17 home runs and drove in 44 runs in his 57 games with the club in 2015.
While the club ran into the buzz saw that was the Kansas City Royals in the World Series, this team is still the high point of the decade for Mets fans.
- Top hitter: Curtis Granderson – 157 games, .259/.364/.457, 26 HR, 70 RBI, 11 SB, 5 bWAR
- Top pitcher: Jacob deGrom – 30 starts, 14-8, 2.54 ERA, 0.979 WHIP, 5.4 bWAR
