2025 season: Eliminated Sept. 28
With the Mets eliminated from the 2025 postseason, let’s take a look at the season that was in New York, the questions the team must address this winter and the early outlook for next year.
Read more: MLB offseason previews 2025: What’s next for the White Sox, Pirates, Twins and more?
Things that went right
The Mets’ big-name players largely delivered on expectations. Juan Soto started slowly but warmed up with the weather and ranked among the top 10 in baseball in runs scored, OBP and OPS. Soto also added a surprising speed component to his game by swiping 38 bases. Pete Alonso rebounded from a quiet 2024 season, breaking the Mets’ career home run record and finishing second in the majors with 126 RBI.
Francisco Lindor continued to be the team’s sparkplug. He ranked fourth in baseball in runs scored and joined Soto as the third pair of teammates in MLB history to log a 30-30 season. Not to be forgotten, Brandon Nimmo supported the team’s superstars by being consistent and effective while moving throughout the lineup.
On the mound, rookies Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong provided a boost of excitement when they joined the rotation down the stretch. McLean was especially dominant, posting a 2.06 ERA in eight starts. Tong’s numbers were heavily impacted by one disastrous outing on Sept. 12, but he was otherwise effective. Sproat was also steady, and without this trio, the club likely would’ve been out of the postseason race much sooner.
The bullpen was average overall but received excellent performances from the men who mattered most. Edwin Díaz was again one of the top closers in baseball, logging eye-popping ratios (1.63 ERA, 0.87 WHIP) and ranking 10th in the baseball in saves. Reed Garrett easily led the club in holds, and Geovany Soto and Tyler Rogers were effective after arriving at the trade deadline.
Things that went wrong
The Mets might have won their first NL East title since 2015 if not for a brutal stretch from July 28 to Aug. 15. They led the Phillies by 1.5 games on July 28, but by the time their Aug. 15 game ended, they had gone 2-14 and sat six games back of Philadelphia. It was especially frustrating that most of that slump occurred immediately after the Mets’ front office made several acquisitions at the trade deadline. Another brutal losing streak — eight consecutive defeats from Sept. 6 to 13 — caused the club to fall back in the NL wild-card race before ultimately missing the postseason entirely.
The veteran members of the rotation were a problem, especially down the stretch. Clay Holmes, David Peterson, Kodai Senga deserve credit for each making at least 22 starts and maintaining ERAs below 4.30. But Peterson logged a 6.68 ERA in August and an eye-popping 9.72 in September. Meanwhile, Holmes was removed from the rotation in the middle of September, and Senga spent the final weeks of the season in Triple-A. Sean Manaea didn’t debut until July 13 and finished the season with a 5.64 ERA.
Despite having plenty of star power, New York’s offense was only slightly better than average. The lineup became a top-heavy group, as the supporting cast included a few disappointments. Mark Vientos got off to a slow start and then missed most of June due to a hamstring strain. He was batting .223 with a .640 OPS at the All-Star break. Tyrone Taylor received a surprising amount of playing time (113 games) but did little with the opportunity (.598 OPS). Cedric Mullins couldn’t do his part to lengthen the lineup after arriving at the trade deadline. Finally, Luisangel Acuña and Ronny Mauricio didn’t thrive when given extended opportunities.
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Offseason outlook
Most of the Mets’ infield is in a state of flux. Francisco Alvarez endured a rocky season that included multiple IL stints and offensive struggles in the first half. Still, he showed enough in the second half to enter spring training as the No. 1 catcher. Alonso will head to free agency for a second straight year, as he confirmed he will decline his 2026 player option. Jeff McNeil and Brett Baty should share second base, with McNeil also spending time in the outfield and Baty getting some starts at third. Vientos will hope to bounce back from a down year and earn the lion’s share of third-base opportunities. Mauricio will challenge Vientos but could end up as a super utilityman.
The Mets are set in the corner outfield spots, with Soto in right and Nimmo in left. Center field is wide open, as Mullins is heading to free agency and Taylor is a better fit as the fourth outfielder. McNeil can pick up some starts in center, but the organization might want to maintain his positional flexibility by adding a center fielder in the offseason.
There are also plenty of rotation options. Holmes, Senga, Peterson, Manaea and Tylor Megill are all under contract for 2026, and with Sproat, Tong and McLean in the big leagues, there are three more arms who could push veterans to the bullpen. The hope is that Tong or McLean can quickly ascend to ace status, as this deep group lacks someone who can match up with the top starters on other contenders. Christian Scott is a wild card for a rotation spot, as the former prospect with nine career starts should return in spring training from 2024 Tommy John surgery.
The bullpen is a bit of an unknown. Díaz can opt out of the final three years of his contract, which would leave a huge void in Queens. Garrett and Huascar Brazobán will return to form a setup duo after leading the team in holds, but the trio of Rogers, Soto and Ryan Helsley were all available at the trade deadline because it was the final year of their contracts, and thus, they’re all free agents.
Prospects on the horizon
Partly thanks to the rapid ascensions of Tong and McLean, the Mets boast a deep group of high-end prospects who are ready to contribute in 2026. Both hurlers were dynamite at times down the stretch and will be serious contenders for rotation spots. In fact, there’s a scenario in which Tong and McLean are leading the Mets’ rotation by the second half of next season.
Sproat is the other pitcher who could help the team next year. He spent most of 2025 in Triple-A before debuting with the Mets in September. Although he wasn’t dominant in Triple-A, his major-league results were respectable (4.79 ERA in 20 2/3 innings). Like many young starters, Sproat could stand to improve his walk rate.
Carson Benge is the team’s top position-player prospect and is rising rapidly through the minors. The 2024 first-round draft pick reached Triple-A by the end of the season and could fill the void in center field to start 2026, though it’s more likely that he debuts later in the season.
A natural shortstop, 2022 first-round pick Jett Williams has reached Triple-A. He is, of course, blocked by Lindor, which caused him to spend some time at second base and in center field this year. Like Benge, Williams will be looking for a roster spot by the summer.
Goals for 2026
As long as Steve Cohen owns the Mets, they will be a win-now team that ranks among baseball’s biggest spenders. Plus, this team is full of superstars who aren’t getting any younger. The window is now.
But there is work to be done in the offseason, starting with the decisions on retaining Alonso and Díaz in free agency. Whether those two are playing in Queens next year will likely determine if the organization adds high-priced players from other teams.
Overall, New York has as good a chance to win the NL East in 2026 as any of their division rivals. The Phillies will be difficult to surpass, and the Braves will likely climb back into the race after a down year. But with a big-budget roster centered on a legit superstar in Soto, with a few additions here and there, the Mets will have what they need to go toe-to-toe with anyone.
Fantasy focus
Just as they lead the Mets on the field, Soto and Lindor will lead New York’s fantasy options in 2026 drafts. Both players will be drafted within the initial 20 picks, with Soto likely to go slightly earlier than Lindor. Whether or not they return to the Mets, Alonso and Díaz will be selected in the range of Rounds 3-5. In some drafts, Díaz will be the first closer off the board.
There are a few Mets who should be drafted in the middle rounds, including Nimmo, Senga and the young starters, Tong and McLean. There’s a chance that Tong or McLean could sneak into the initial 10 rounds by having a dominant spring. Later in drafts, Manaea and Alvarez will have their names called.
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