The 2025 Mets season is officially in the books, and for most of us fans it was the angel of mercy instead of the angel of death that put us out of our misery over these last three and a half months.
Many will say it was a collapse, but I disagree. A collapse is what happened in 2007, it’s what the 2011 Red Sox and Braves did. It’s what the Tigers almost did, even though they’re going to the playoffs despite blowing a 15 game lead in mid-July and a nine-game-lead by September. The Mets' slide began in June. No one “collapses” with a substantial lead to lose. The Mets led the Phillies by as much as five games in mid-June. Not exactly the same as blowing a seven-game lead with 17 to play. No, the Mets slowly disintegrated. A collapse happens quickly, so fast you can’t stop it. This was like watching a slow motion car wreck, and the Mets had plenty of time and opportunities to stop it, but never did.
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| Francisco Alvarez snaps his bat in half as the Mets season ends in Miami Image courtesy of Imagn Images |
On the surface, things look bleak. Pete Alonso and Edwin Díaz will likely opt out of their contracts. The team just endured its most disappointing season since 2007. Even after signing Juan Soto, the Mets finished with six fewer wins than they did last year without him. Still, from a wider perspective, the situation isn’t as hopeless as it feels right now. You won’t want to hear this right now, so maybe bookmark this article for when the wound of missing the playoffs isn’t still fresh. Here’s why I’m feeling optimistic about this team going forward.
1. Starting Pitching
The lack of quality starting pitching was the single biggest factor in the Mets’ second-half demise. From mid-June on, Mets starters threw the fewest innings in baseball while the bullpen logged the most. That formula doesn’t work, and the results showed. There were bright spots, though. Clay Holmes delivered a solid first season as a starter, finishing 12–8 with a 3.53 ERA over 165 innings. His gem in game 161 kept the Mets’ season alive for one more day, and it likely earned him a rotation spot for 2026.
Next year’s rotation will be younger and more exciting. Nolan McLean burst onto the scene in mid-August and quickly became the team’s most dependable starter. He posted a 2.06 ERA over 48 innings and evoked memories of Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom’s early days. Brandon Sproat also showed promise after a shaky start in Syracuse. Jonah Tong had ups and downs, but he’s just 22 and unlike Sproat and McLean, didn’t pitch in college and didn’t spend as much time in Triple-A as they did. Behind them, Jack Wenninger is on the rise, and Christian Scott is expected back from Tommy John surgery next spring.
For the first time in a decade, the Mets have a pipeline of young, homegrown arms that could form one of the most exciting rotations in the NL East.
2. Juan Soto
The Mets made a big splash last offseason in signing Juan Soto to a record breaking contract. In his first year in that 15 year deal, Soto didn’t disappoint.
Baseball is a team sport and when you don’t make the playoffs, individual stats tend to be thrown out by fans and media alike, but we need to appreciate the year Juan Soto put up because it’s one of the greatest Met single-season performances of all-time.
In his first full season in orange and blue, Soto mashed 43 home runs, good enough for third on the Mets single season home run leaderboard. He set a Mets’ single season record in walks with 126. He finished with 38 stolen bases and a career high that put him just two away from a 40/40 season. As the Mets sputtered down the stretch, Soto carried the team as best as he could, putting up an OPS of 1.009 in August and 1.047 in September.
He can hit for average, hit for power, and now he can steal bases! Coming into 2025, Soto’s career high in steals was just 12. It was a crime that he wasn’t named an All-Star back in July, but if year one is any sign of what’s to come from the 27-year-old Juan Soto, Met fans can rest easy knowing they have a superstar in their lineup that they can anchor the team around for years to come.
3. An elite farm system
The 2025 season will be remembered as a major disappointment for the Mets, but for their minor league affiliates, it was one of the best years in recent memory. Two teams won their league titles, three of four reached the playoffs, and all four finished above .500. The Mets now have one of the deepest farm systems in baseball. Even after buying at the deadline, they maintained their status as a top system. Fans got a glimpse of that depth late in the year with the arrivals of Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, and Brandon Sproat.
More talent is on the way. Carson Benge, Jett Williams, and Ryan Clifford made huge strides in 2025 and should be Major League ready by 2026. Benge, the club’s first-round pick last year, posted an .854 OPS across three levels. He excelled in Double-A with a .978 OPS over 32 games, proving he could handle advanced pitching. Williams, coming off an injury-plagued 2024, reminded everyone why he’s a top-100 prospect. He posted an .848 OPS between Double and Triple-A, adding 34 stolen bases, 17 home runs, and 34 doubles. Clifford mashed 29 home runs and drove in 93 runs between Binghamton and Syracuse.
Jacob Reimer and A.J. Ewing also broke out this season. Reimer rose into the organization’s top ten prospects after putting up an OPS of .853 with nine home runs over 61 games in Double-A, helping the Rumble Ponies win their first Eastern League title in 11 years. Ewing was a hitting machine, batting .315 across three levels, including .339 in his first taste of Double-A.
The pitching pipeline is just as strong. McLean, Tong, and Sproat might be just the start of a new wave of starting pitchers coming to Queens. Jack Wenninger, Will Watson, and Jonathan Santucci all impressed in 2025. Wenninger posted a 2.92 ERA in his first full Double-A season. Santucci, the Mets’ 2024 second-round pick, moved up to Double-A midseason and recorded a 2.52 ERA over 50 innings. Watson dominated High-A with a 1.70 ERA in 63 innings before earning a late promotion.
A wealth of talent is on the verge of impacting the Major League roster. While 2025 was one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history, it doesn’t mean the Mets are doomed to a regression in the years to come. There are still holes to fill and questions to answer before Opening Day 2026, but once the sting fades, it’s clear this organization is positioned to succeed for years to come, even if it doesn’t feel that way right now.
24 comments:
Steve, a wonderful piece on this Tuesday morning, the start of the playoffs Tuesday morning, of which I won’t be watching any more baseball this year. So, while I agree whole heartedly with you points, here are three to consider immediately:
1. Nimmo is getting older and not quite the defender he needs to be. Is he already a full time DH?
2. As Stearns yesterday pointed to the farm system you also referred to, are we ready for a rebuild or retooling of the Mets which might make 2026 less of a sure thing than Mets Nation expects?
3. After a year that had many questionable decision by the front office, how prepared or confident are they concerning their future that they are prepared to let go of the past in a business that demands consumer sentiment?
Stearns said yesterday that McLean, Tong, and Sproat will all be on the OD 26 but he left open what roles they would play
Figure we can lock in McLean as a starter
My watching baseball will pick-up next spring
Well, that’s more necessary right now than not as the healthy starters for next spring are Holmes, Peterson, Senga, Manaea, that’s it.
Would you make Senga the closer knowing he can’t go more than every six days as a starter?
Gus….Nimmo to first base?
Funny, I feel the same way. As much as I love baseball, once the Mets are done...I'm done watching.
So many interesting decisions. Can Manaea rebound? He looked like a shell of himself. WTF happened to Peterson? Can Senga pitch out of the bullpen Gus back-to-back days when he can't even pitch on 6 days rest.
I would pencil in McLean, not ready to anoint Tong and Sproat yet. Maybe a little more seasoning for Tong.
All true, Steve. However, there is still a missing element. This team failed even when the starting pitching gave an occasional good outing. There are still problems scoring with RISP, there are still defensive lapses, and there are still too many occurrences where a batter fails to move runners with none out. Menodza is back next year and he will hopefully watch a lot of film in the off-season and realize that he pulls pitchers way too fast.
Tom, not against that move if Pete doesn't return.
Tom, we have kicked this around a little bit, and my thinking is:
1. Can he learn to take grounders after being in the grass his whole life?
2. If you want to improve the defense, do you make this kind of move?
3. Would he embrace it, and knowing how everyone wants Alonso, would he be able to handle the scorn of the fans as he tries to learn a new position? Does he really need this?
I can introduce him to first base during the spring, and give him a few games there during the year and see how he takes to it. This used to be done with outfielders all the time.
Great piece, Steve. And honestly, your timing couldn’t be better. Everyone needed a boost this morning. Also, I agree.
This core took us to the NLCS last year, and while it’s true they’re not getting younger, they’ve got a real chance for a top 3-5 offense next season if just a few things go right. Despite Stearns’ focus on run prevention, I do believe they’ll re-sign Pete. He was terrific this season, easily their best clutch hitter. And not just HR, he had 80 XBH. Also, while his range is limited and his throwing hit and miss, he does pick everything and fields what he gets to. Plus, he’s just a Met and wants to be here. I see him getting 30 or so games at DH, which could improve range there for 35.% of the season as well. McNeil was maybe the team’s most consistent hitter all year, and has one year left. He’s a solid defender, but lacks range, and with Pete back, I think they’ll look for a better defender there to cover more ground (will it be Jett? That’s the big question here) making McNeil a true utility player, which is probably his best role at this point. The defense (and the offense) will very likely improve with the second half “grown up” version of Baty there all year. I’m pretty sure we’ve seen the last of Vientos over there, and if they don’t see him as their FT DH next season, I believe he’ll be traded. Alvy as well seemed to figure it all out (on both sides of the ball) after his demotion, with a .950 OPS over 40+ games, and if (big if) he can stay healthy next season, with Torrens as maybe the best backup catcher in baseball, we’ll be better there. Nimmo had a very good offensive year and while he has indeed slowed down, though he’s solid when he’s out there. I see him getting 30-40 games or so at DH, with Taylor making the defense far better there for 1/4 of the games. Soto finally looked comfortable here, and I cannot imagine he’ll go four months hitting .180 with RISP again. CF is the big question. They must get more there. Taylor is a better hitter than he’s shown, but should be what he is, one of the best 4th OF in baseball and a late inning defensive wizard. The question of course is do they see Benge as their future CF (I think they probably do) and so whether on OD of soon after, there should be an offensive boost there.
The pitching collapsed. But as you mention, there are multiple high-ceiling arms on the way. This farm system, remember, was rated the best in baseball on the pitching side. How many are ready on OD is a question, but probably at least two of the three kids, with the third, and maybe even a couple of others ready to contribute by mid-season. Manea needs a full season with his elbow cleared out, and I think there’s every possibility that healthy, he looks more like ‘24 than ‘25 Manea. Holmes, either way this year under his belt, should have more stamina next season, Peterson will at least start the season rested, and maybe they even get something out of Senga. Finally, I think they’re going to try to make a big trade for a young, still under control #1 or 2 (Alcantra?). This is the deal that Vientos could be part of, and will likely cost us a Williams or Ewing and/or Reiner, plus a couple of the younger arms not named McLean, Tong, or Santucci.
This year went terribly, and I still believe that Mendy is the worst game manager I’ve ever watched (and managed scared for weeks down the stretch, which didn’t do the team any favors). But I expect improved defense at 2B, C (Alvy’s improvement) 3B (no more Vientos), and CF (Mullins is vastly overrated out there), and a younger, better pitching staff. Sorry this was so long. And Thanks again for the ray of sunshine in a dark time.
I am from Missouri….show me. You make a strong case. Now, the Mets must SHOW ME.
There are no top +DRS first basemen available in FA this offseason
Senga would never accept that
You should write here
I'm from Ozone Park Queens
FORGETTABOUTIT
Wonder who replaces Mendy next May.
Steve well said. But you have too many what ifs. We had the same thing this year and look where it got us.
Remember the old saying:
If the Queen had a pair of b**ls she'd be King.
Mack, I'm originally from Bensonhurst, aren't we the FUGETABOUTIT borough.
I'm going out on a limb here. Not the biggest Mendy fan. But everyone is killing him for his in game management.
Is it really his fault that nobody on the staff could go more than 4 innings the first half of the year. or possibly the 25+ crappy relievers that were paraded through the rotation.
The blame really should lie with Stearns for the God-awful pitching staff he put together.
I think you, Adam, and Gus, should write a comprehensive game plan for publication on this site. Mack, I and undoubtedly the other writers would DIG IT.
Ray, I will put in a good word for you.
Bring back R A Dickey. He can eat innings.
Mendoza put undue stress on the pen by pulling starters way too early.
Thank you all for the kind words on this article. It's been a blast writing for Mack's Mets this season. Looking forword to covering the AFL from here in Arizona and whatever the 2026 season has in store for us and our Mets'
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