David Stearns stepped in front of the media after a Mets season that ended in disappointment and didn’t try to dress it up. He said he still sees “extremely encouraging signs” as he looks ahead to 2027, even with the mess of 2026 fresh in the rearview.
One answer, in particular, stood out. Asked whether he would handle Pete Alonso any differently after what happened in 2026, Stearns was direct: “I don’t get mulligans”.
That was only part of a wide-ranging session. Stearns also touched on retiring the phrase ‘run prevention’, what it meant to watch Freddy Peralta succeed in Tampa Bay, how he evaluated his free agent signings, Kodai Senga’s future with the Mets, the need to add starting pitching, and the decisions that led to an “uncapped downside scenario”.
First base is already a priority, and the Mets are planning to look ‘externally’ to fill that hole.
There’s also plenty of reflection around the organization. Laura Albanese wrote about Stearns owning his failures and how he will get another chance to prove he’s not a failure.
John Harper graded Mets players, the front office, and Andy Green after the team’s last-place finish. Chelsea Janes laid out how the Mets’ 2027 blueprint is already starting to take shape, even though they missed the playoffs in 2026.
There’s at least one bit of positive recognition in the mix, too: Juan Soto and Nolan McLean were nominated for the 2026 All-MLB Team, and fan voting is now open.
Around the National League East, the Phillies lined up their postseason rotation with Jesús Luzardo starting Game 1, Cristopher Sánchez getting Game 2, and Aaron Nola available if a Game 3 is needed. Mark Bowman also broke down three things the Braves learned in their final week of the regular season, while the Marlins are coming out of an uneven 2026 season believing they’re close and eager to take the next step.
Across the league, the postseason arrives with plenty of questions. Will Leitch shared MLB.com’s Power Rankings at the start of October, while Alden Gonzalez asked whether the Dodgers might be more vulnerable than expected. The Athletic staff made its Wild Card round picks, and Ken Rosenthal noted that even if the Brewers or the Rays win it all, the competitive balance debate will keep rolling into an uncertain offseason.
Elsewhere, the Astros are set to use a bullpen game in Game 1, Newsday’s David Lennon made his end-of-season award picks, Max Ralph updated Aaron Judge’s status for the Yankees’ Wild Card round, and Mike Elias said he’ll work to get the Orioles back on track after another season without a playoff berth. The Twins also made a change, firing pitching coach Peter Maki and assistant pitching coach Luis Ramirez.
At Amazin’ Avenue, Lukas Vlahos examined what the Mets’ 40-man roster could look like heading into free agency, and the site also thanked readers for sticking with the team through what was, by all accounts, a rough season.
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Tarik Skubal is expected to be the biggest name in the mix, which would give the Mets a chance to land the kind of starter who can anchor a staff for years. If that pursuit falls short, the club may have to pivot quickly to trade possibilities such as Logan Gilbert, Shane McClanahan, Joe Ryan or George Kirby, making this one of the defining decisions of the winter for the front office. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Fans Still Remember This 2007 Masterpiece For One Painful Reason
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For Mets fans, though, the game lives on for a reason that has nothing to do with the scoreboard that night. The victory kept the club tied for the final Wild Card spot, setting up a final weekend with real stakes and, ultimately, a letdown the next day that made all that September brilliance sting a little more. [Read more 🡒]
Mets 2027 Rotation Has Promise But One Big Concern Still Lingers
The Mets can look at 2027 and see the outline of a rotation that has real upside. Nolan McLean, Zac Thornton and Christian Scott appear positioned as likely members of the mix, giving the club a young core to build around after the way the 2026 season unfolded. Sean Manaea, Jonah Tong and Kodai Senga also remain part of the conversation, which adds both depth and flexibility if everything breaks the right way.
Still, the picture is not clean enough for the Mets to simply pencil in October expectations and move on. Each of those veteran or younger options comes with some level of uncertainty, and David Stearns has already suggested the front office may need to add an experienced starter for 2027. For a team trying to turn promise into something sturdier, the biggest question is whether the internal group can hold together long enough to make that extra move optional instead of essential. [Read more 🡒]