As you probably know by now, MLB is considering realigning the leagues and teams to take advantage of proximity and restrict travel. It is an idea that resulted from the current, ongoing COVID-19 outbreak that has the season halted as we speak. The plan would have consequences in the competitive balances of leagues and teams, including the New York Mets.
According to what a high-ranked official told Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the National and American League would be eliminated in the division realignment, which would be done this year to navigate the circumstances.
The divisions would be:
GRAPEFRUIT LEAGUE
NORTH: New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, Pittsburgh Pirates.
SOUTH: Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins, Atlanta Braves, Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles.
EAST: Washington Nationals, Houston Astros, New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals, Miami Marlins.
CACTUS LEAGUE
NORTHEAST: Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, Oakland Athletics.
WEST: Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Angels.
NORTHWEST: Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals.
The Mets would play in a highly competitive environment
Games would be held only in two states: Florida and Arizona. That would mean that, for logistic reasons, each team would play in its spring training complex and face only nearby squads. It isn’t clear whether this eliminates the possibility of teams facing clubs in other divisions, but that seems unlikely.
As a result, the New York Mets would face the Washington Nationals, Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins a lot.
For the Mets, it is a brutal division, with last year’s two World Series teams and one that made it to the National League Championship series.
However, the Mets are talented enough to contend, at least. Winning the division would be very hard, that’s for sure, but it remains a possibility.