The Mets made a splash Tuesday night, pulling off a significant move to bolster their outfield by acquiring center fielder Luis Robert Jr. from the White Sox. It’s a headline-worthy addition-Robert brings speed, power, and a defensive presence up the middle. But even with that upgrade, there’s a clear elephant in the room: New York still hasn’t addressed its most pressing offseason need-starting pitching.
Despite a flurry of moves that brought in Bo Bichette, Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco, and now Robert, the Mets’ rotation remains a major question mark. And that concern isn’t just coming from fans.
Former big leaguer Cameron Maybin didn’t mince words when he weighed in on social media. After FanDuel posed the question, “Who is stopping them?”
in reference to the Mets’ revamped lineup, Maybin fired back with a blunt reality check: “They can’t pitch.”
As it stands, the projected 2026 rotation features Nolan McLean, David Peterson, Clay Holmes, Sean Manaea, and Kodai Senga. That group has potential, but it’s light on proven top-end talent.
Senga is the clear ace, but beyond him, the rotation lacks the kind of firepower that can go toe-to-toe with the elite arms in the National League. And for a team with postseason aspirations, that’s a problem.
The Mets entered the offseason with starting pitching as a top priority. So far, that box remains unchecked.
They’ve been linked to Brewers ace Freddy Peralta, one of the most intriguing names on the trade market this winter. Peralta’s availability has drawn interest from several contenders, including the Braves, Yankees, Red Sox, and Dodgers.
If the Mets want to land him, they’ll need to get aggressive-and soon.
Meanwhile, the price for Robert wasn’t cheap. New York sent infielder Luisangel Acuña and right-hander Truman Pauley to Chicago to make the deal happen.
Acuña, a highly regarded prospect, is the younger brother of Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr., and Pauley has shown promise on the mound. It’s a classic win-now move by the Mets, sacrificing future potential for present-day impact.
Robert, 28, has been on the Mets’ radar for a while. He was a hot name at last year’s trade deadline, though talks between the Mets and White Sox reportedly never got close to materializing at the time. Fast-forward to this offseason, and the deal finally came together.
While Robert’s 2025 season wasn’t his best-he slashed .223/.297/.364 with 14 home runs and 53 RBI-he still managed to swipe 33 bases in just 110 games. That kind of speed adds a dynamic element to the Mets’ lineup, and when healthy, Robert has shown All-Star caliber potential. He earned that honor back in 2023 and has flashed elite tools since coming up through the White Sox system.
This trade gives the Mets a much-needed boost in center field, both defensively and athletically. But until they shore up the rotation, it’s hard to call their offseason complete.
The lineup is starting to look dangerous, no doubt. But as Maybin pointed out, October baseball is won on the mound-and right now, the Mets still have work to do.