For a Mets season that has gone sideways in plenty of ways, the injured list doesn’t exactly read like a disaster waiting to happen. In fact, the current group on the IL is expected to be back in action in 2027, with a few exceptions already known to be out for the entire 2026 season. That still leaves the Mets with some real decisions to make on who sticks, who goes, and who gets reworked into something else.
Daniel Duarte looks like the cleanest bet of the bunch. A minor league free agent signing, he put together a 2.12 ERA and burned through his final minor league option this season while bouncing between the majors and minors. That kind of performance gives him a strong case to be on the 2027 Opening Day roster unless his injury drags on or his preseason goes off the rails.
Robert Stock, on the other hand, feels like a different kind of story. He was supposed to start for the Mets on Wednesday, but instead landed on the IL with a 5.93 ERA.
He showed flashes, but also plenty of hittable moments, which lines up with the idea that he’s probably best used in small bursts as a longman or opener. He’ll turn 37 in November, and if he decides to step away from pitching, a future in a major league front office could be next.
Tylor Megill is another name the Mets clearly plan to keep around for now. The team tendered him a deal even though they already knew he would miss all of 2026.
The expectation here is a long rehab assignment first, then a move to the bullpen as a long reliever. That finally settles the starter-versus-reliever question, even if the answer doesn’t come with any guarantees about how it plays out.
Reed Garrett is in a trickier spot. The Mets have already shown they’re willing to move on from an injured player and absorb the cost, just as they did with Drew Smith, and Garrett could be next.
He’s been useful at times, but the numbers - a 3.77 ERA in 2024 and a 3.90 ERA in 2025 - don’t exactly scream must-keep, especially with him turning 34 in January. A non-tender followed by a split-contract return would make sense if the Mets want to preserve flexibility and chase more upside elsewhere.
Jorge Polanco is the kind of player who could still matter, just not in the role the Mets originally had in mind. He can still bounce back next year, but it probably won’t be as the full-time answer at DH or first base. His contract makes him tough to move unless the Mets are willing to take on an even worse deal, so the real question is how they scale back his usage while still getting something useful out of him.
Cionel Perez is a little different. He posted a 4.21 ERA this year, along with a strong walk rate and a bunch of strikeouts, which makes him worth trying to bring back.
Even so, the Mets may have bigger needs and fewer 40-man roster spots to play with. A 30-year-old journeyman lefty probably isn’t at the top of the list, especially if the team is looking for a better southpaw to pair with Nate Lavender.
Then there’s Devin Williams, who seems set to slide right back into the closer role. The Mets will hand him the job again and try to protect themselves with a Luke Weaver replacement.
In Other News...
Steve Cohen Just Escalated The Mets Accountability Debate
As the Mets have worked through another stretch of frustration, the question of accountability around the front office has become part of the conversation around Citi Field. David Lennon of Newsday added fuel to that discussion by saying David Stearns had not been seen at the ballpark recently, a point that quickly drew attention from fans already looking for signs of how the club is handling its struggles.
Steve Cohen then stepped in to push back, saying Stearns was with him in the dugout before a game. It was a small detail, but the kind that tends to land with extra weight when the team is under a microscope, because for Mets fans the bigger issue is not just whether Stearns was physically around, but how visible and accountable the baseball operation feels while the results remain uneven. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Loss Took A Back Seat To A Frightening Jared Young Scare
The Mets 3-0 loss to the Phillies ended up feeling like a footnote after a scary collision between Nolan McLean and Jared Young turned the afternoon into one of concern rather than frustration. New York never found much offense against Philadelphia, but the bigger issue was the health of Young, who was taken to the hospital after the play.
The good news from the clubhouse was encouraging enough to quiet the worst fears, with the Mets confirming that Young had feeling in and full use of his extremities. Even so, the scene left the game with an uneasy tone, and it is the kind of moment that can linger well after the final out, especially when a routine summer matchup suddenly turns into a medical concern. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Replacement Plan For Jeff McNeil Looks More Uncomfortable Now
The Mets moved on from Jeff McNeil with a clear idea in mind, sending him to the Athletics and lining up Brett Baty to take on the kind of super utility role they had been hoping to stabilize. On paper, the fit made sense for a club trying to balance production and payroll, especially with McNeils recent decline and Batys cheaper 2026 season giving the front office some flexibility.
Batys path, though, has made the transition feel less straightforward than the Mets likely wanted. The organization had envisioned him growing into a dependable everyday utility piece, but his current offensive output has not come close to matching the level McNeil once reached as an All-Star. The cost savings are real, but so is the risk that the Mets are asking a player still searching for consistency to fill a much bigger role than he has yet fully claimed. [Read more 🡒]