With Cespedes signed, Mets have significant depth on roster

Injuries happen. The Mets know this as well as anybody. In 2015, the first half of the season saw the losses of Zack Wheeler, Josh Edgin, David Wright, Travis d'Arnaud, Jerry Blevins, Buddy Carlyle, and Dillon Gee. That plague of injuries was not much of a problem when it came to starting pitching—-in fact, it opened the door for Noah Syndergaard's debut—but the drop-off in quality was substantial when it came to the position players and the bullpen. As the All-Star break approached, the Mets were running out a lineup that frequently included players like Eric Campbell, John Mayberry Jr., and Kirk Nieuwenhuis.

But this year looks different. With the signing of Yoenis Cespedes, the Mets have a bench composed of major league players who can step up comfortably if someone goes down. In the outfield, Juan Lagares and Alejandro de Aza should prove capable of filling in if Cespedes, Michael Conforto, or Curtis Granderson goes down. And there's also Brandon Nimmo—if he looks good enough in Triple-A Las Vegas.

In the infield, Ruben Tejada and Wilmer Flores are both capable of playing both second base and shortstop. They'll be on the bench, as Neil Walker and Asdrubal Cabrera start. Flores should be able to fill in for David Wright at third on his off days, as well. Even Gavin Cecchini might make his way onto the big league roster if there's an injury.

With Jeurys Familia anchoring a bullpen that is set to include Antonio Bastardo, Addison Reed, Jerry Blevins, and Hansel Robles, there are several other pitchers—Sean Gilmartin, Logan Verrett, and Rafael Montero, among others—who could either be in the Opening Day bullpen or provide depth later in the season. And Bartolo Colon could spend some of his time there if Zack Wheeler returns from Tommy John surgery on schedule.

With the moves made this offseason, the Mets should be able to sustain the inevitable injuries that happen over the course of a season. The 2016 Mets are a good team, and they're a deep team, too.