Mets' Complete Guide, Preview for 2nd Half of 2022 MLB Season

The New York Mets were 38-19 on June 6 with a commanding nine-game lead in the NL East standings and a legitimate case for being called the top team in baseball.

In the weeks since, they've played roughly .500 baseball, and the Atlanta Braves have stormed back into the division race, setting up an exciting second-half battle for NL East supremacy.

Can the Mets return to the level of dominance they showed earlier this year?

Ahead, we've provided a preview for the second half of the season, complete with potential X-factors, a trade deadline outlook and a blueprint for this Mets team to reach the postseason.

Second-Half X-Factors

Jacob deGrom (Eric Espada/Getty Images)

PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - MARCH 27: Jacob deGrom #48 of the New York Mets warms up before the start of the Spring Training game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Clover Park on March 27, 2022 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)

SP Jacob deGrom

The best pitcher in baseball hasn't thrown a single pitch in 2022, and the Mets are still in first place. That speaks volumes about the depth they've assembled on the staff, but it also shows how much better this team could be at full strength. With two rehab starts at Single-A under his belt already and a third scheduled for Thursday with Triple-A Syracuse, deGrom is on the comeback trail, and his long-awaited return should come shortly after the All-Star break.

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3B Eduardo Escobar

Signed to a two-year, $20 million deal during the offseason after a 28-homer, 90-RBI, 110-OPS+ season in 2021, Escobar has been a flop thus far. The 33-year-old is batting .217 with an 84 OPS+ on the year, and he's hitting just .204/.236/.363 with a strikeout rate over 25 percent since May 1. It might be time to consider a reduced role if he doesn't get things going soon.

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IF/OF Mark Vientos

For all the hype that catcher Francisco Alvarez and third baseman Brett Baty are generating, it's unlikely we'll see either top prospect in the majors in 2022. Instead, the top-tier prospect most likely to make an impact is Vientos. The 22-year-old has an .833 OPS with 15 home runs and 41 RBI in 64 games at Triple-A, and he's hitting .287/.369/.558 with 14 long balls in 198 plate appearances since May 1 after a rocky first month.

Trade Deadline Outlook

Nelson Cruz (G Fiume/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 27: Nelson Cruz #23 of the Washington Nationals bats against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Nationals Park on June 27, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)

With Dominic Smith (139 PA, .203 BA, .581 OPS) and J.D. Davis (192 PA, .240 BA, .681 OPS) both struggling at the plate, designated hitter has been a bit of a hole for the Mets so far this year.

All told, the DH spot has produced a .225/.305/.379 line with nine home runs, 43 RBI and a 27.9 percent strikeout rate on the year, so finding an upgrade won't be difficult.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Mets are already showing interest in veteran slugger Nelson Cruz. The 42-year-old has a 101 OPS+ with eight home runs and 47 RBI playing on a one-year, $15 million deal with the Washington Nationals, and he's an obvious trade candidate even to an in-division foe.

Sticking on the Nationals roster, Josh Bell would be an even more impactful rental pickup, though he'll also come at a steeper price.

The front office could also kick the tires on Luis Castillo and Frankie Montas, who are both controllable through the 2023 season. With Chris Bassitt and Taijuan Walker (player option) both headed for free agency and Jacob deGrom (opt-out) potentially joining them, adding a controllable starter would be a good forward-thinking move.

The Mets Make the Postseason If...

Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 05: Luis Guillorme #13, Francisco Lindor #12, Eduardo Escobar #10 and Pete Alonso #20 of the New York Mets celebrate their 5-4 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers after the game at Dodger Stadium on June 05, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

The addition of a third wild-card spot is going to make it awfully difficult for the Mets to miss the postseason given the cushion they have built themselves during the first half, but we've seen them collapse too many times in the past to make any assumptions.

They still play the Atlanta Braves (12x) and Philadelphia Phillies (7x) a combined 19 more times during the second half, along with four games against the New York Yankees and three each against the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres.

That said, as long as Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom are healthy and productive the rest of the way, it's hard to see how this team doesn't at least snag a wild-card berth, and they remain the favorites to win the division even after Atlanta's recent hot streak.

Even if they limp home down the stretch, it looks like the Mets are headed for their first postseason appearance since 2016.

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All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and accurate through Tuesday's games.