The Mets entered 2025 with sky-high expectations-and for good reason. They had just pulled off a blockbuster by signing Juan Soto, arguably the biggest name on the free agent market.
They brought back Pete Alonso, a fan favorite and clubhouse leader. And for the first half of the season, they looked every bit the contender they were built to be, charging out to a 45-25 record that had them near the top of the National League.
But baseball has a way of humbling even the most stacked rosters. The second half told a very different story.
July and August were a grind, and while the early-season cushion kept them in second place into September, the cracks were starting to show. As of September 8, the Mets held a four-game lead over the Reds with 19 games to play.
FanGraphs gave them a 92.2% chance to make the playoffs. And then-collapse.
A 7-11 finish shut the door on October baseball, making the Mets just the third team in the wildcard era to win 45 of their first 70 games and still miss the postseason.
That kind of collapse doesn’t just sting-it demands a response. And the Mets answered with one of the most active offseasons in the league.
They swung big. Bo Bichette, Devin Williams, Jorge Polanco, Luke Weaver, Marcus Semien, Luis Robert Jr., and Freddy Peralta are all now wearing Mets blue and orange.
But the cost was steep: Pete Alonso is gone. So are Edwin Díaz, Jeff McNeil, Brandon Nimmo, Brandon Sproat, and top prospect Jett Williams.
That’s a major shakeup-some of the most familiar faces in Queens now playing elsewhere.
And while the analytically inclined fans may not be mourning the departures as much, there’s no question this was an emotional offseason. The additions came after most of the long-tenured players had already been moved, which made the transition feel even more jarring for fans.
Still, the general sentiment heading into 2026 seems cautiously optimistic. The belief is that this team should be at least as competitive as it was heading into last season-if not more.
One of the biggest headlines was the acquisition of Bo Bichette. Toronto fans are still coming to terms with losing him, but what’s raised eyebrows across the league is the Mets’ plan to play him at third base-a position he’s never played in the majors. Is this just about adding a bat, or is there a bigger strategy in play?
The Mets clearly saw a need in their lineup and filled it. Bichette’s move from shortstop to third base is a transition that’s been made successfully by others, and it’s not out of left field.
Worst-case scenario? He becomes a regular DH.
And there’s flexibility built into this roster: if Marcus Semien hits the IL, Bichette could slide over to second, allowing Brett Baty to take over at third, his natural position. Jorge Polanco, meanwhile, could see time at first base, though that too could evolve depending on how the season unfolds.
One of the biggest internal developments from last year was the rise of Nolan McLean. He started 2025 in Double-A Binghamton and ended it in the majors, flashing ace-level stuff. With Freddy Peralta now in the rotation, McLean might not get the Opening Day nod, but make no mistake-he’s the most electric arm in the Mets’ rotation heading into 2026.
And he’s not the only young name to watch. Jonah Tong, the Canadian right-hander, got a brief taste of the majors last year.
It didn’t go smoothly, but that’s not unusual for a young pitcher. The Mets haven’t lost faith in him, and with how unpredictable rotations can be over 162 games, Tong’s next opportunity could come sooner rather than later.
But the prospect generating the most buzz is Carson Benge. One of the top young talents in the game, Benge had a standout 2025 season and is knocking on the door for a full-time role.
The Mets haven’t filled the left field spot for a reason-they’re giving Benge every chance to win that job outright. If he does, he could be a difference-maker from Day 1.
Looking at the free agent market, there’s still a name out there that would make a lot of sense for the Mets: Chris Bassitt. Yes, the Mets already have a six-man rotation on paper, but Bassitt brings something that’s hard to find-durability.
He’s been a workhorse over the past three seasons with Toronto, and while he might not return to the sub-3.50 ERA he posted with the Mets in 2022, his ability to eat innings and his postseason experience could be invaluable. He even showed he could dominate out of the bullpen last October.
A reunion wouldn’t just be nostalgic-it could be strategic.
And if we’re dreaming a little, there’s one trade target that would take this bullpen from solid to elite: Mason Miller. If the Padres were to make him available-and that’s a big “if”-he’d be a game-changer.
The Mets’ bullpen already features Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, Brooks Raley, and eventually A.J. Minter.
But adding Miller to that group? That’s how you build a late-inning unit that can shorten games and protect leads, especially with a rotation that struggled to go deep into games last year.
The Mets have made it clear they’re not standing pat. After the heartbreak of 2025, they’ve retooled with urgency and ambition.
The roster looks different, the stakes feel higher, and the expectations remain sky-high. Now it’s time to see if this new-look squad can deliver where last year’s team fell short.