For a team whose owner has virtually unlimited resources and a management team that seems to have a blank check to make a move, this Mets team has been a disaster and consistently underperforming. They finished last season with the highest payroll and currently rank second behind the Dodgers. Last season, Mets fans earned $356 million from 83 wins. It also has an all-new lineup, with four new members. Will that be enough to get them into the 2026 playoffs?
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line-up
Sep 28, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) retires Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez (not pictured) on a pitch to first base during the second inning at Loan Warehouse Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
For a team with so many resources, that they allowed 1B Pete Alonso to leave is baffling to me. Alonso was beloved in Queens as one of the game’s preeminent power hitters. In addition to losing Alonso, they also lost Brandon Nimmo, Jeff McNeil and Starlin Marte. After trading Cedric Mullins, they didn’t bring him back. In total, they represented more than 2,000 ABs last season.
These ABs will be replaced by 2B Marcus Semien, 3B Bo Bichette, IF/DH Jorge Polanco and OF/DH Luis Robert. I don’t like the way this team is built. First of all, whoever they put at 1B will be downgraded… they might go with Polanco, or Mark Vientos, but Alonso is neither.
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Semien has excelled at 2B, but he’s now 35 years old and his numbers have declined over the past three seasons. Last season, he only played 127 games. Bichette has never played 3B, and it remains to be seen how he will defend in the hot corner.
Although Louis Robert was such an alluring genius, he was the quintessential example of Fool’s Gold. In 5 seasons, he only played more than 110 games once. In 2023, he competed in 145 races (still not quite a triathlon). He ran 90 times, had 38 HR, 80 RBI, 20 SB, and an OPS of .857. He has the potential to be a 30/30 player…and he could threaten the 40/40 season that would make him a unicorn. But here’s the thing, the unicorn is a mythical beast, and unfortunately for Mets fans right now, that’s what they’re relying on.
The team still has Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto as cornerstones, but it will be interesting to see if the team built around them can provide enough protection for them.
rotation
September 27, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; New York Mets pitcher Clay Holmes (35) pitches during the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Loans Warehouse Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
The biggest acquisition of the offseason was the trade for Freddy Peralta. They paid a lot for a player who could only be loaned out. Peralta is currently a free agent after the 2027 season. But other than Peralta, I didn’t like the rest of the staff.
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Last season, Nolan McLean had his coming out party for the Mets. He made eight starts and pitched 48 innings. He was 5-1 with a 2.06 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. The Mets will certainly limit his innings this season.
Only Clay Holmes and David Peterson started more than 30 games last season, and of the two, I do like Holmes. The addition of Peralta does take away some depth from Peterson, who is more useful as the No. 4 starter than he is as the No. 2 or No. 3 player.
Recently, there were rumors that Holmes could be headed to the Tigers via the Tarik Skubal trade. If the Mets did this, it would certainly send shockwaves to the rest of the league and their American League counterparts from coast to coast to Los Angeles and the Bronx.
The back end of the rotation consists of Kodi Senga and Sean Manea. Last season, they pitched just 174 innings total, and Manea’s ERA was over 5.50. This isn’t a championship rotation just yet.
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bullpen
February 11, 2026; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets pitcher Devin Williams (38 years old) pitches during spring training. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
President of baseball operations David Stearns has been busy this offseason, signing two big arms for his bullpen. He signed a 3-year/$45 million contract with Devin Williams and a 2-year/$22 million contract with Luke Weaver. They will immediately enter a high-leverage situation in the final inning, with Williams taking on ninth-inning duties.
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The Mets continue to impress after the offseason, but will they return to the postseason in 2026? First appeared in The Big Lead.