Mets Players Who Have a Make-or-Break Season Ahead in 2020

Despite a season filled with drama and dysfunction, the New York Mets finished the year just three games out of the second NL Wild Card spot, with an 86-76 record in 2019. For the most part, New York returns the same talented roster it had last season, but in order to get over the hump and make its first postseason appearances since 2016, the club will need strong contributions from a few players who have make-or-break seasons ahead of them in 2020.

With that in mind, here are three Mets players who are in for make-or-break seasons in 2020.

3. Steven Matz

Miami Marlins v New York Mets / Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Steven Matz showed plenty of promise when he entered the league in 2015, but you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who believes that he's come close to realizing it. The 28-year-old lefty has struggled to find consistency over the past three years, sporting an 18-28 record with a miserable 4.44 ERA and 1.34 WHIP since 2017. A starting pitcher throughout his career, Matz entered spring training with his place in the Mets' rotation far from guaranteed. If he struggles to find the strike zone in his first few starts of 2020, New York may move him to the bullpen for the foreseeable future.

2. Robinson Cano

Houston Astros v New York Mets / Rich Schultz/Getty Images

At 37 years old, Robinson Cano isn't getting any younger and unless he finds the Fountain of Youth in 2020, he'll definitely be in for a make-or-break season. The eight-time All-Star has lost a step defensively (-0.5 defensive wins above replacement in 2019) and while his bat may still have a little bit of life in it (.880 OPS in the second half), there's a distinct possibility that he could regress at the plate this season. Unless your name is Nelson Cruz, Father Time comes for us all. A strong start could be enough to keep Cano in the Mets' lineup more often than not, but if he struggles early, it may not only mean that he's destined for a bench role, but it could make him decide to hang up the spikes at the end of the season.

1. Jed Lowrie

Philadelphia Phillies v New York Mets / Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

If you forgot that Jed Lowrie was still in the Major Leagues, you're probably not the only one. Signed to a two-year, $20 million contract last offseason, the veteran infielder made just 8 plate appearances in his first year in the Big Apple due to a knee sprain suffered during Spring Training. The 35-year-old infielder will look to rebound in 2020, but things don't look to promising right now, as Lowrie — who's still dealing with his knee injury — has yet to see any action this spring in what's become an incredibly crowded Mets infield. Finding playing time with the Mets will be tough for Lowrie going forward and if he's unable to produce in the action he does see, he may not only be at the end of his time with the Mets, but it could be the end of his major league career.

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Mike Esposito is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Mike Esposito also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username espo6891. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.