Remember Maddux, Smoltz, and Glavine? Well What About the Time the Mets Had a Big Three?

The Atlanta Aces, in John Smoltz, Greg Maddux, and Tom Glavine are possibly the best 3 starting pitchers to ever be on the same team. But did you know that the New York Mets, in the 2010’s had a chance to have the same type of core? I bet you forgot…

Photo: Doug Mills / Associated Press

Before 1993 the Braves had Glavine, and Smoltz, and signed Maddux as a free agent. Maddux won 3 straight Cy Youngs with the Braves, capping off his 4 year winning streak (He won the ‘92 award with the Cubs). Glavine won the ‘91 award, before Maddux came to town, and the 1998 award, as well. Smoltz won the ‘96 award, and successfully transitioned to the closer role, after Tommy John. So, how did the Mets have the potential to have a core just as good as the Atlanta Aces? I will help you concover that mystery (using the 5 W’s)

Step One: Who

Who are/were the Mets Masters, as I will call them?

The first: Matt Harvey

The second: Noah Syndergaard

The third: Jacob deGrom

Step Two: What

Those three players are the three Mets Masters. Harvey, a former top prospect, the proven ace. Syndergaard, a lights out rookie, known as Thor, who can throw 95 mph sliders, and last but not least, Jacob deGrom, a second year player, who has hair to match Thor, and throws nothing under 90 mph.

Photo: Noah K. Murray / USA TODAY Sports

Step Three: When

2015, regular season, and the postseason.

Step Four: Where

Citi Field, in New York. The Mets. The other New York team.

Step Five: Why

Why do you need pitching? Well, you can't win the Super Bowl without a good defense, and you can’t win the World Series with the 2020 Red Sox rotation, so the Mets got their three aces to propel them to a championship…

Step Six: How

How did the Mets acquire their masters. Well, we know that Maddux was signed by Atlanta, and Glavine was drafted by the team, but Smoltz was acquired via trade with the Tigers. Those are the three big ways you can get players. Lets see how New York got their 2015 top three starters.

Harvey: Homegrown; Drafted first round, seventh overall (2010)

Syndergaard: Trade; Drafted by the Blue Jays; acquired for R.A. Dickey

deGrom: Homegrown; Drafted in the ninth round (2010)

The Mets got 2 of their Mets Masters from the 2010 MLB draft, and the other from the Blue jays for R.A. Dickey. Similar to the Braves.

So why do I say they could have been what Atlanta was?

Well, all three were young players. Harvey was 26. Thor was 22. deGrom was 27. All three had great ERA’s, with Harvey at 2.71, Syndergaard at 3.24, and deGrom at 2.54. The Mets got to the Fall Classic that year, losing 4-1 to the Kansas City Royals, with Syndergaard winning New York’s only game. They had so much potential, especially with Steven Matz, and Zach Wheeler coming up the farm system.

So how did they fall apart?

As quickly as they rose, they fell, as well. Harvey suffered from injuries, which killed his potential, and he was gone in the middle of 2018. Syndergaard had injuries as well, and is currently rehabbing from Tommy John, and will be a reliever this year, if he comes back. Thor will be a free agent after this year. deGrom is the only one to have succeeded. He has won 2 Cy Youngs, and he should have three, but he is out till September this year.

Photo: Frank Franklin II / Associated Press

The Mets Masters could have done something great, but injuries derailed them, just like so many other great teams have.