Just that quickly, the Mets are one-third of the way through the Grapefruit League schedule. With barely three weeks to go until Opening Day, it’s time to dig into the Inbox for a batch of questions and answers.

How big of an impact do you think the Mets’ defense is going to make over the course of a season? Is it REALLY something to worry about?
-- @Cefinkle via Twitter

Look, I’ll put it bluntly: the Mets are not a great defensive team. Even team president Sandy Alderson acknowledged it on an ESPN broadcast last week, saying that some members of the starting eight are “not defensive geniuses.” This shouldn’t be surprising to anyone. Here is where the Mets have ranked in Defensive Runs Saved the past four seasons:

2020: -22 DRS (26th in MLB)
2019: -86 DRS (28th in MLB)
2018: -69 DRS (27th in MLB)
2017: -78 DRS (30th in MLB)

The Mets did upgrade defensively at catcher and shortstop, but they still rate below-average at several spots around the diamond, including both corner-infield positions plus left and center field. Those concerned about team defense received no reprieve when the Mets committed seven errors in two games earlier this week.

“Right away, we’ve got to recognize that we hurt ourselves,” manager Luis Rojas said. “You want to say that it’s early in camp and we have room to [improve], but we need to do it right now. If we’re going to say we’re a good team, we’ve got to go out there on the field and be a good team. We end up hurting ourselves defensively. That’s just something that can’t happen.”

It’s not as if the Mets are ignoring it. J.D. Davis shed about 15 pounds over the offseason and has spent this spring trying to perfect his footwork at third base. Brandon Nimmo, on a tip from the Mets’ analytics department, has backed his starting position in center field closer to the fence. Dominic Smith is spending more time in left field than ever before. Rojas, who has been aggressive with in-game substitutions in the past, could become even more so with players such as Albert Almora Jr. (who made a tumbling catch in Tuesday’s Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals), Kevin Pillar and Luis Guillorme subbing in late with a lead.

The goal here is not for the Mets to lead the league in defense -- they won’t -- but to get to a point where they’re not regularly costing themselves runs. The Mets have enough hitting and pitching in place that defense alone shouldn’t sidetrack their postseason goals. But to be elite, defense is an area they’ll need to improve.

While the topic of extensions has been focused on Michael Conforto, Francisco Lindor and possibly Noah Syndergaard, what about re-working Jacob deGrom’s contract to get rid of the opt-out after 2022? Or is that discussion better suited for next offseason?
-- @metsfan0431

While deGrom’s opt-out will be a big conversation point a year from now, it’s not something I see the Mets addressing this spring. There are just too many variables that can shift over the next two seasons -- injuries, market conditions, luxury-tax changes and more -- to alter the equation. The Mets have cost certainty for two more seasons with deGrom. For now, that’s enough.

Ultimately, deGrom’s opt-out strikes me as similar to Clayton Kershaw’s decision following the 2018 season, when he used his contractual right as leverage for a revised deal without making the Dodgers feel like he would truly leave. deGrom has already expressed his desire to be a Met for life. The Mets would love to have him be that type of generational player for their franchise. I suspect in the end, both sides will figure out something that makes sense.

Which non-roster invitee do you think has the best chance to make the Opening Day roster?
-- @SharonWeidberg1 via Twitter

Like a lot of folks, I’ve been impressed with right-handed sidearmer Trevor Hildenberger, who has shown off some impressive sink and movement early in camp. He is one of several veterans vying to make the team, along with Jerry Blevins, Arodys Vizcaíno, Tommy Hunter, Mike Montgomery and more.

On the position-player side, Brandon Drury and José Peraza have outside shots, but it’s a little difficult to see either of them cracking the roster. The Mets’ 40-man is jammed up at the moment, so they’ll need a good reason to carry someone not already on it.

Any chance that whoever doesn't earn the fifth starter spot will end up as the second lefty in the bullpen?
-- @JKDboxer69 via Twitter

When asked that question this week, Rojas said the Mets were still working through various scenarios. I suspect either David Peterson or Joey Lucchesi will open the season at the Mets’ alternate site in Brooklyn, along with Jordan Yamamoto, Franklyn Kilome and others, simply because the team is going to want to keep as many of those pitchers as possible stretched out. (As we saw last year, it’s tough to do that on the fly in real games.) The Mets have enough bullpen depth that I don’t think they necessarily need to carry a long man.

Do you think the Mets will start Luis Guillorme on days when Marcus Stroman pitches because of his great defense and the other Mets’ struggles at third base?
-- @NolanMcDerm

It’s certainly something they’ll have to consider. The Mets were aggressive last season in using defense-first lineups behind Rick Porcello, another sinker-heavy pitcher. The team has a new front office now, but it would make sense for them to follow the same blueprint behind Stroman.

Is there a chance that any top prospects might make the team like Andrés Giménez did last year?
-- @TreLindor20 via Twitter

Slim. The prospect with the best chance to crack the roster is probably 22nd-ranked reliever Sam McWilliams, but the fact that he has Minor League options will work against him. Although the Mets invited most of their younger top prospects to camp to give them reps, farm director Kevin Howard told everyone from that group that they would not seriously compete for big league jobs.

If Francisco Lindor signs long term, would the Mets move Ronny Mauricio to third?
-- @soulchuck via Twitter

That’s something that would probably happen eventually, but not right away. The Mets would want to keep Mauricio, their top shortstop prospect, at the position for as long as possible to showcase him for potential trades. They could certainly start giving Mauricio reps at third base to increase his versatility, but I doubt they would convert him full-time to the position until they were serious about considering him for the big league roster.