The 2017 New York Mets started filled with high expectations. After reaching the postseason for two consecutive seasons, the team expected to continue the trend with the healthy young arms from the starting rotation that the general manager boasted about for years. With the exception of Jacob deGrom, each of the young Mets starters missed multiple starts, misdiagnosed injuries and later found themselves on the disabled list.
One by one, Matt Harvey, Steven Matz, Zack Wheeler, Robert Gsellman and Seth Lugo went down with injuries, and Mets fans had to grin and bear witness to pitchers like Adam Wilk, Tyler Pill, Chris Flexen, Rafael Montero and Tommy Milone stepping in to try to fill the void on the mound.
The most notable loss was opening day starter Noah Syndergaard, who made only five starts before going down with a partially torn lat muscle on April 30. Closer Jeurys Familia was suspended for the first 15 games of the season and then activated in late April before being shut down with an arterial clot in his right shoulder in May and missing most the season.
Outfielder Yoenis Céspedes signed a four-year contract worth $110 million after the 2016 season, the largest contract in Mets history. On April 27, Céspedes left the game after pulling his left hamstring and was placed on the 10-day disabled list. Céspedes was shut down for the season on Aug. 26 after his second hamstring injury of the year. Céspedes played in only 81 games, hitting .292 with 17 home runs and 42 RBIs.
The season saw the emergence of All-Star outfielder Michael Conforto, who was hitting over .300 most of the year before injuries and trades left him unprotected in the lineup. Conforto also fell to injury in August when he dislocated his left shoulder swinging the bat.
Veterans Lucas Duda, Jay Bruce, Neil Walker, Curtis Granderson and René Rivera were traded to contenders to restock the farm system. Top prospects Dominic Smith and Amed Rosario got a taste of the big leagues after the trade deadline. Here's a look back at some of photos from the 2017 campaign.
Binghamton Rumble Ponies
Binghamton Rumble Ponies
Binghamton Rumble Ponies
Binghamton Rumble Ponies
Noah Syndergaard
In a photo taken with fish-eye lens, the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves are introduced on Opening Day at Citi Field in New York City, Monday, April 3, 2017. (Gordon Donovan)
New York Mets starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard (34) throws in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field in New York, Monday, April 3, 2017. (Gordon Donovan)
New York Mets Wilmer Flores (4) heads home to score in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field in New York, Monday, April 3, 2017. Flores was called out but the call was reversed. (Gordon Donovan)
The children of New York Mets season ticket holders head out to the field to greet players before the baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field in New York, Sunday, June 4, 2017. (Gordon Donovan)
New York Mets Yoenis Cespedes (52) homers in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field in New York, Saturday, June 17, 2017. (Gordon Donovan)
New York Mets starting pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) throws a pitch in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field in New York, Saturday, July 1, 2017. (Gordon Donovan)
New York Mets 3B T.J. Rivera (54) fields and throws to 1B in the third inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field in New York, Sunday, July 16, 2017. (Gordon Donovan)
New York Mets Jose Reyes (7) is greeted by teammates after game winning single in the ninth inning of a baseball game to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 at Citi Field in New York, Thursday, July 20, 2017. (Gordon Donovan)
New York Mets Brandon Nimmo (9) scores in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field in New York, Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017. (Gordon Donovan)
New York Mets Michael Conforto (30) is injured while batting in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field in New York, Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017. (Gordon Donovan)
Cincinnati Reds baserunner Phillip Ervin (27) tries to break up the double play upending New York Mets second baseman Gavin Cecchini (2) in the eighth inning of a baseball game at Citi Field in New York, Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. (Gordon Donovan)
New York Mets Jose Reyes (7) rounds bases after homering in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field in New York, Friday, Sept. 9, 2017. (Gordon Donovan)
New York Mets Brandon Nimmo (9) makes a diving catch in the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field in New York, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017. (Gordon Donovan)
New York Mets Juan Lagares (12) goes first to third head first in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field in New York, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017. (Gordon Donovan)
New York Mets shortstop Amed Rosario (1) fields and throws in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2017. (Gordon Donovan)
New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom sits in dugout in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field in New York, Monday, Sept. 25, 2017. (Gordon Donovan)
The Jackie Robinson Rotunda just before sunset during the game the baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field in New York, Monday, Sept. 25, 2017. (Gordon Donovan)
New York Mets Michael Conforto sits in dugout in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field in New York, Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017. (Gordon Donovan)
New York Mets Travis d'Arnaud (18) stands in the hole in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field in New York, Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017. (Gordon Donovan)
Photos taken during the 2017 season using a Canon EOS-1D X II and EOS-1D X DSLR Cameras with a CanonEF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM Lens, EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens EF 70-200mm f/2.8L II USM Lens.