3 Stats That Prove the Mets Are Legitimate World Series Contenders in 2022

The New York Mets have failed to live up to expectations over the past few seasons, but their eyes are set on turning things around in 2022. The front office made some huge offseason signings in an attempt to put the Mets in position to win their first National League East division title since 2015.

New York is tied for the best odds to win the NL East at +140 and has odds set at +1100 to win it all this season, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Let's take a look at three stats that prove the Mets are legitimate World Series contenders in 2022.

New York Mets World Series

1. Max Scherzer's 3.16 Career ERA

The Mets made one of the biggest splashes in free agency when they signed veteran starter Max Scherzer to a six-year deal long before the MLB lockout started. The three-time Cy Young winner now joins Jacob deGrom in what is the best one-two punch in the league. Scherzer owns a career ERA of 3.16 and a record of 190-97 in his career. Adding that level of dominance to a starting rotation is bound to help improve results. Not only does Scherzer excel at keeping runners from scoring, but he also shines when it comes to staying healthy. The eight-time All-Star has started at least 30 games in 10 of his last 12 seasons.

2. Starling Marte's 47 Stolen Bases in 2021

It's safe to say the Mets were not a very fast team in 2021. They tied for the fifth-fewest stolen bases (54) and were never seen as a threat on the base paths. That is why the signing of speedy outfielder Starling Marte may have a larger impact than people believe. The 33-year-old has not lost a beat through 10 MLB seasons and stole 47 bases last season. That was by far the highest mark in the league. Baseball is starting to shy away from stealing bases and having Marte in the lineup everyday gives the Mets a leg up on their opponent from that angle.

3. 3.90 Bullpen ERA in 2021

The importance of having a shutdown bullpen cannot be overstated. MLB hitters are becoming more and more versatile by the year, which means having players capable of shutting them down in the late innings is crucial. The Mets posted the ninth-best bullpen ERA last season (3.90) and ranked ninth in total strikeouts as well (658). Signing veteran Adam Ottavino to join Edwin Diaz and Trevor May may be the team's most underrated move of the offseason so far. Look for new Mets' manager Buck Showalter to lean on a strong bullpen this summer in what should be a close divisional race.

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. 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.