Nick Morabito is about to get a real chance to make his case.
With the Mets searching for an internal answer to the fourth or fifth outfielder job that opened when Tyrone Taylor was traded, the rookie is being handed a window to show he can fit that role on next year’s Opening Day roster. The path is clear enough: if Morabito can handle left-handed pitching, he could become part of the solution.
That’s the part he has not solved yet in the majors. The right-handed hitter is batting just .176/.282/.206 overall, and in 15 plate appearances against southpaws he still hasn’t collected a single hit. For a player whose profile suggests he should be able to do damage from that side of the matchup, it’s been a rough start.
This week’s series against the Rangers could give him plenty of chances to change that. Roster Resource projects lefties MacKenzie Gore and Cody Bradford to start, and Texas also has four other left-handed pitchers on its staff, including Jordan Montgomery. That setup could put Morabito in the lineup and also create pinch-hit spots where the Mets can see whether he can finally deliver.
The strange part is that this hasn’t always looked like a problem. Morabito was a strong hitter against lefties in Triple-A this season, posting a .296/.405/.439 line that fit the idea of a player with a clear split.
In theory, that made him a neat match for the Mets’ outfield mix, especially if Carson Benge or A.J. Ewing couldn’t carry the load against southpaws.
But the major league results haven’t followed that script. He has been hitless against lefties and hasn’t exactly overwhelmed righties either, leaving the verdict very much unfinished. There’s still a case for giving a player like him more steady reps in the minors, since a part-time big league role can slow down progress instead of speeding it up.
Even so, Morabito has tools that make him worth watching. He swiped 42 bases in 46 tries at Triple-A this year, and his defense is at least in the same conversation as Ewing’s. He also added more pop this season, setting a new career high with 13 home runs after previously topping out at 6 in 2025.
The upside is probably limited. At his best, he looks more like a bottom-of-the-order piece than a middle-of-the-lineup threat. Still, the opportunities are there now, and with so many lefties lined up on the Rangers’ side, this series could become Morabito’s latest chance to show he’s ready for those situations in 2027.
In Other News...
Mets Just Turned Another Special Weekend Into A Fan Frustration
The Mets spent Sept. 19 trying to make a weekend feel celebratory, but the timing never quite let it breathe. Carlos Beltrans jersey retirement ceremony landed in the middle of a critical stretch of the season, and the weather did the atmosphere no favors, turning what should have been a polished tribute into another reminder that even the clubs special dates have been hard to stage cleanly this year.
Howie Roses long-awaited celebration is now being pushed to the opening weekend of the 2027 season, a delay tied to ongoing collective bargaining agreement negotiations and, reportedly, his own preference. Still, it fits a broader pattern for the Mets, who have managed to create multiple calendar headaches around their feel-good moments, leaving fans to wonder why so many of the years best intentions keep arriving with some obvious complication attached. [Read more 🡒]
Carlos Beltran Just Changed The Mets Manager Search Mood
Carlos Beltrans number retirement ceremony at Citi Field gave the Mets a celebratory backdrop, but it also turned into a reminder of where the clubs managerial search stands. Asked about the opening, Beltran did not close the door, yet he made clear that the job would require a major commitment and that his current personal and professional priorities are part of the equation. For a team still sorting through what it wants in its next manager, the timing of the question alone said plenty.
The Mets are widely viewed as needing someone with experience and a steady hand, and Beltrans response only sharpened that conversation. He remains a beloved figure in the organization, but his uncertainty adds another layer to a search already tied to broader questions about fit, readiness and leadership. Even on a night meant to honor his place in franchise history, the discussion drifted back to the future and the challenge of finding the right person to manage it. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Are Still Waiting For These Offseason Trades To Pay Off
The Mets spent the offseason reshaping the roster with three moves that were supposed to help now and later, most notably swapping Brandon Nimmo for Marcus Semien and Jeff McNeil for Yordan Rodriguez. They also dealt Franklin Gomez for international bonus slot money, a quieter transaction that was meant to open another avenue for future talent. On paper, it was the kind of activity that signals a front office trying to balance immediate needs with longer-term flexibility.
But as 2026 unfolds, the return on those deals still has not arrived in the majors. Semien and Rodriguez have yet to provide the sort of impact the Mets were after, and the bonus pool space from the Gomez trade has not yet translated into any visible payoff either. That leaves these moves sitting in a holding pattern for now, with the real judgment on them likely coming only after the organization finally gets something tangible from one or more of the pieces it acquired. [Read more 🡒]