The Mets enter the second half of the 2025 MLB season in playoff position — currently in a Wild Card spot while neck and neck with the Phillies for first place in the NL East.
But the group that has gotten New York to this point will be changing in the coming weeks, with the trade deadline rapidly approaching and New York having a handful of big needs.
Here are the five biggest storylines to watch as the second half unfolds…
What happens at the trade deadline?
If the 2024 deadline was the Mets' dipping their toe in the water during a season where the team exceeded expectations, this deadline should see them diving in.
The Mets have two huge needs (center field and the bullpen), one big need (the starting rotation), and one moderate need (third base).
And it would be shocking if the first two needs aren't addressed.
The current situation in center field has Tyrone Taylor starting some days and Jeff McNeil others. That situation is not tenable, with Taylor posting a .580 OPS and McNeil better suited for the infield dirt. Among the options who could be available? Cedric Mullins of the Orioles and Jarren Duran of the Red Sox, though the cost to acquire Duran would be relatively massive.
In the bullpen, New York is getting a dominant season from Edwin Diaz but remains in need of a true setup man. The return of Brooks Raley will help, but more is needed.
While the rotation is finally at full strength, there are questions surrounding Sean Manaea (health) and Clay Holmes (a potential innings limit), so New York should absolutely be looking to bolster its starting staff — perhaps with a trade for a pending free agent like Zac Gallen or Seth Lugo.
Unless a true blockbuster develops, the Mets won't have to part with prized prospects like Jett Williams, Jonah Tong, or Nolan McLean in order to address their deficiencies.
Francisco Alvarez's potential impact
Since being sent down to Triple-A Syracuse to — in David Stearns' words — work on things that were "not statistical," Alvarez has nevertheless gone off power-wise while also working to refine his defense and other aspects of his game.
In 64 at-bats over 18 games, Alvarez has hit .250/.333/.672 with eight home runs.
He's still striking out at a high clip (22 times in those 18 games), but Alvarez is getting very close to a return to the majors.
Given how young Alvarez is, it's easy to forget that he's still coming into his own as a hitter. It's also easy to forget that he blasted 25 homers in 123 games as a rookie in 2023, and still possesses massive power potential.
The Mets don't need Alvarez to be a game-changer at the plate for them in the second half, though. They just need him to be a consistent threat.
Possible debuts of Nolan McLean and Brandon Sproat
It's fair to argue that both McLean and Sproat should've been called on to start games at the end of the first half, when the Mets instead chose to have a bunch of bullpen games.
Both pitchers have top of the rotation upside, and are developing and performing in a way where their big league debuts could be around the corner.
When McLean and/or Sproat are called on could have a lot to do with whether the Mets add to the staff at the deadline and how often they employ a six-man rotation.
In the event the team suffers a long-term injury to any of its regular starters, though, it's McLean or Sproat who should get the call.
Pete Alonso's historic home run chase and future
Alonso has 247 career home runs, putting him six away from passing Darryl Strawberry for the most in Mets history.
There's a chance Alonso passes Strawberry by the time the Mets wrap up a homestand against the Giants and Guardians in early August. But with one patented power surge, he could get there quicker.
New York opens the second half with a six-game homestand against the Reds and Angels before heading on the road for six games against the Giants and Padres.
This is also around the time when Alonso's future will start to become a topic again, with him all but certain to opt out of the two-year deal he signed during the offseason.
Alonso said during All-Star week that it would be "special" to stay with the Mets long-term, and a majority of the fan base feels the same way.
The NL East race
Winning the division is important, though it hasn't mattered a ton when it comes to which teams advance to the LCS (like the Mets did last year after earning a Wild Card spot) and World Series.
Still, the Mets' goal should be to win the division, which would at the very least guarantee them home field in the three-game Wild Card Series.
If they win the division and finish with one of the top two records in the NL, they will get a bye to the LDS.
With the Braves on the verge of selling in what has been a shockingly down year for them, and both the Marlins and Nationals not close to contention, this will be a two-team race between New York and Philadelphia. And the remaining head-to-head matchups could decide it.
The Mets and Phillies have seven regular season games left against each other — Aug. 25 to 27 at Citi Field and Sept. 8 to 11 at Citizens Bank Park.
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