Disappointing Mets season may get MLB Draft silver lining

When the Mets punted on the remainder of this season on the commerce deadline, they replenished their long-depleted farm system by choosing up a bevy of prospects.

The six-game shedding streak that adopted, whereas ugly, might assist them refill the system with one other high-end prospect.

However they’ll additionally should get fortunate.

For the reason that Mets have exceeded the $290 million luxury tax threshold, they are often penalized by having their first choose within the 2024 draft knocked down 10 spots, however that choose can be protected if it’s within the high six.

Then, their much-less-valuable second choose can be bumped 10 spots.

Ending up with a top-six choose, nonetheless, will not be so simple as ending with one of many worst six data within the majors.

As a substitute, they’ll have to attend for the draft lottery that was additionally put in place within the final collective bargaining settlement to stop tanking.

Merely put: the Mets, after this traditionally disappointing season, will both choose 1-6 or 17-40 in July.

All 18 non-playoff groups are concerned within the lottery and are eligible to win the lottery to get the highest general choose.

The groups with the worst three data within the majors will enter the lottery with one of the best odds in an try to stop full tanking.

The chances of hitting the six-team lottery grow to be progressively worse as you progress up the standings.

Final yr, the primary below the CBA, featured some good — and never so good — fortune.

On the constructive facet, the Rangers, who completed with the seventh-worst report, moved as much as fourth and the Twins, with the Thirteenth-worst report, chosen fifth.

The Athletics, Reds and Royals weren’t as fortunate.

The A’s, who, together with the Pirates and Nationals, had one of the best probability to complete with the No. 1 choose, obtained bumped to the sixth choose.

The Mets entered Tuesday tied with the Pirates for the eighth-worst report within the majors.

Given the state of their roster — not solely with out the traded Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, David Robertson, Mark Canha and Tommy Pham — but in addition lacking the injured Starling Marte and demoted Brett Baty, there isn’t a lot hope of a very good stretch to return in Queens.

The Mets can’t catch the dreadful A’s and Royals within the standings, however they might tumble down under the Tigers, White Sox and Cardinals, in addition to the Pirates.

Irrespective of how the ragtag group does the remainder of the way in which, nonetheless, the Mets should hope they get a type of invaluable high six picks.

If not, they’ll be harm greater than most different groups, because of the payroll penalty.

Serving to their trigger is the truth that the Nationals, who picked second general within the final draft, can’t be within the lottery once more this yr as a result of groups that don’t obtain income sharing are prohibited from being within the lottery two straight years.

No matter the place the Mets choose, simply as on the commerce deadline this yr, they’ll have to pick out the proper participant.

It’s one thing they hope they did when they got Luisangel Acuña, Sean Clifford and Drew Gilbert — amongst others — of their prospect haul on the deadline.