The Mets’ winter overhaul is starting to look like a mixed bag, and the biggest names from that exodus are each telling a different story.
David Stearns stripped down a roster that had leaned on four of its longest-tenured players - Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, Jeff McNeil, and Edwin Diaz - and the results have been all over the map. Nearly four and a half months into the season, the choices are easier to judge, even if they are not easy to sort.
Alonso looks like the clearest miss, at least right now. In his first season with the Baltimore Orioles, he has hit .266 with 27 home runs, 80 RBI, and an .851 OPS over 124 games and 463 at-bats.
His home run and RBI totals are tracking a bit below his 2025 pace, when he finished with 38 homers and 126 RBI, but his overall value has stayed strong. He already has 3.4 WAR, matching his 2025 mark of 3.4.
There is still a reason to watch the bat more than the box score. Alonso’s defensive work at first base has helped, but his OPS has slipped from .873 a year ago, and Baseball Savant’s numbers point to a small drop in bat speed.
That could be the first hint of a downturn. The sticking point between Alonso and the Mets was years, with Stearns unwilling to go to a five-year deal.
New York’s fallback options - Jorge Polanco and Mark Vientos - never came close to holding up their end, and the club created a huge long-term hole at first base.
The Mets would be better with Alonso in the lineup, no question. But with their injuries and poor performance elsewhere, they would likely only be around 10 games under .500 instead of their current 13 under.
For now, Alonso’s Orioles are only two games under .500 themselves in a crowded AL Wild Card race, so the early edge goes to him. That could still change if the Mets eventually find a real first baseman.
Nimmo is the other move that still draws plenty of heat from Mets fans, though the reasoning around it is more complicated than the simple offensive comparison suggests. New York sent him to the Texas Rangers for Marcus Semien, and Semien has been a disappointment at second base. But Nimmo had a no-trade clause and would not move to DH, which boxed the Mets in on what they could do with him.
In Texas, Nimmo has been steady in his usual way. He is the Rangers’ primary right fielder and is batting .271 with 13 home runs, 47 RBI, and a .773 OPS in 119 games, worth 2.0 WAR. He is 33 and was under contract through 2030, so the Mets had to think about the bigger roster picture, especially with younger outfielders needing space.
That is where Carson Benge comes in. He has taken over Nimmo’s role and is in the mix for NL Rookie of the Year after hitting .272 with 14 home runs, 49 RBI, and a .751 OPS while posting 2.4 WAR.
He is 10 years younger than Nimmo and still has room to grow. The Mets also found a lane for A.J.
Ewing once Nimmo was gone. Ewing’s bat has lagged behind Nimmo’s - .249 with seven home runs and 28 RBI in 84 games - but his defense has been elite enough to push him to 2.2 WAR.
At 22, he has Pete Crow-Armstrong potential. On process, this was the right call from Stearns.
McNeil’s exit was basically a consequence of the Semien deal, and the Mets moved him to the Athletics in December to clear salary. He opened well, then faded hard, entering the day at .259 with five home runs, 39 RBI, and a .663 OPS in 108 games, good for 0.5 WAR.
That would not have solved much for New York, but it still beats Semien’s line, which has been dragged down by a hip injury and a sharp defensive drop. Semien has 14 home runs and 41 RBI, but he is at -0.5 WAR and has started losing time to Brett Baty.
That one feels like a wash. The Mets at least have Mitch Voit waiting to take over at second base in a year, and the Athletics probably will not pick up McNeil’s club option for nearly $16 million next season. If that happens, he could land somewhere on a one-year deal to keep his career going.
Diaz, the one player the Mets actually wanted to keep, has worked out best for New York so far. The Dodgers have gotten almost nothing from him. He missed several months with an injury and has been shelled since returning from the IL.
In 15 appearances, Diaz has a 10.66 ERA and 2.45 WHIP, with four blown saves and 10 walks in 12.2 innings. Dave Roberts has said he will keep giving him a chance to straighten out his command, but the results have been brutal.
The Mets have used Devin Williams in the ninth, and he has been better than Diaz, though that is not exactly a high bar. Williams owns a 4.66 ERA and 1.66 WHIP in 38 appearances, with 16 saves in 19 chances. His numbers are much cleaner when he is pitching in save situations - 2.45 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in 19 appearances - than when he is not, where he has a 6.64 ERA and 1.87 WHIP in 23 appearances.
Williams is now on the injured list with a strained right shoulder, which has opened the door for Kodai Senga to get some closing chances. There is still a chance Williams settles in more in his second year with the Mets, which would give this decision a chance to tilt back in New York’s favor too.
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