Doc Gooden thinks Mets need an ace: 'I still think we need a No. 1 guy'

Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News on Mar 8, 2025

Published in Baseball

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The Doctor has a prescription for the Mets: A staff ace.

Former Mets great Dwight “Doc” Gooden recently spent time in Port St. Lucie at Mets camp talking with the pitching staff and watching some bullpens and Grapefruit League games. The legendary right-hander came away with the impression that the rotation is strong, but it’s lacking a punch in front.

“Obviously there are question marks here, and I still think — and this is not a knock on nobody, just my opinion — I still think we need a No. 1 guy,” Gooden said Friday at the opening of Mets House NYC, a pop-up experience in Union Square. “I think the guys we have are like [No.] 2 and 3 at best, but to compete, you’ve got to have a number one guy.”

The Mets are already down two starters with injuries to right-hander Frankie Montas and left-hander Sean Manaea. Right-hander Kodai Senga is set to lead the rotation after sitting out nearly all of last season with a shoulder injury and a calf strain. Right-handers Clay Holmes, Griffin Canning and Paul Blackburn and left-hander David Peterson will fill out the rotation.

There is depth, yes, but Gooden thinks another frontline guy could make a bigger impact come late in the season and into the postseason.

However, he does see Holmes as a sleeper pick to have a big season. The Mets are converting the former Yankees closer to a starting pitcher, which Gooden sees as a smart idea. He sees a pitcher with the body to withstand a heavier workload, and compares Holmes to former Mets right-hander Seth Lugo, a reliever who is now starting for the Kansas City Royals.

“He’s a big, strong guy,” Gooden said of the 6-5 righty. “It’s hard — really hard — to go from a closer to a starter and as a middle guy to start, but he’s a big guy, he’s strong and now, you don’t have to go five or six innings. He’s done it before, and it’s been a while, but now look at what Lugo did. I think he’s gonna be alright.”

The Mets may have that ace they’re missing in Port St. Lucie right now in Brandon Sproat, the organization’s top pitching prospect, but the right-hander will need more time in the minor leagues. If all goes well, he’ll make his debut this season.

Gooden was introduced to the 24-year-old before a Grapefruit League game recently. Sproat told him he struggled to be himself in Triple-A, and Gooden tried to give him advice based on his experiences of being a 19-year-old phenom that went straight to the big leagues from High-A. Gooden told him to stay within himself.

The advice worked.

“Not that I had any hand in this, but the next day, he pitched two shutout innings,” Gooden said. “I’m going to take the credit for that.”

To be clear, Gooden was joking, but one thing he isn’t joking about is the expectations for the 2025 season. Gooden thinks the addition of star outfielder Juan Soto will take some pressure off of the key offensive producers, and that bringing back Pete Alonso will make a huge difference.

If you ask Gooden, the Mets are definitely going on another run this October.

“Last year they got close, two games from the World Series,” Gooden said. “Anything other than the World Series is unacceptable. I’m setting the bar real high.”

The house that Mr. Met built

Gooden helped cut the ribbon for Mets House, an experiential store and multipurpose space that features exclusive merchandise, themed activities, giveaways and interactive elements for fans. The gaming wall, where fans can play “MLB the Show” with one another, and the “Match Young Swing” experience proved popular on Day 1. Fans step into a batter’s box in front of a video screen that analyzes your swing to show you which Mets hitter yours compares to.

Tickets to Mets games can also be purchased at Mets House with no service fees.

The brainchild of Mets president of business operations M. Scott Havens and chief growth officer Andrew Grossman, fans lined up as early as 5 a.m. on Friday to be among the first to shop the store and try out the new features. The team plans to hold events in the space and memorabilia is available to bid on, with the proceeds going to the Amazin’ Mets Foundation.

Havens, Grossman, Gooden and former Mets first baseman and current SNY analyst Todd Zeile joined Mr. and Mrs. Mets for the ribbon cutting, along with Julie Stein, the executive director of Union Square Partnership.

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