By Adeniyi Precious 
The Mets made a huge splash this offseason by landing Juan Soto on a monster deal. With his insane on-base percentage and power, he’s expected to be a game-changer for the lineup. Add that to a team that made it to the NLCS last season, and Mets fans are dreaming of a World Series run.
But not everyone is buying into the hype.
Former MLB GM Jim Bowden predicts the Mets will finish third in the NL East, though he still sees them grabbing a wild card spot. While he gives them an “A-” for their offseason moves, he believes their biggest weakness is their starting rotation. He points out that key additions like Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes come with risks, and Montas is already on the injured list.
Meanwhile, the Braves and Phillies have bolstered their pitching staffs. Atlanta is getting key arms back from injury while also adding Jurickson Profar, and Philly strengthened its rotation with Jesus Luzardo and Jordan Romano.
Still, the Mets have proven they can make a deep playoff run even as a wild card team—just like they did last year. If they can overcome their pitching concerns, they could still be in the mix for a World Series push.