These 9 Mets might as well pack their bags
RHP Tyler Rogers
Tyler Rogers is yet another reliever whom the Mets
brought in to solidify the back end of the bullpen, and to his credit, he was
the best of all of the deadline pickups. Unfortunately, that isn't saying much.
Rogers had a 2.30 ERA in 28 games, but he also allowed 27
hits in 27.1 innings of work and struck out just 10 batters. Yes, he pitches to
contact, but pitching to contact can backfire even if he doesn't give up many
hard hits. We even saw this in Sunday's game.
Rogers has a lot of value as a guy who consistently
pitches a ton and can generate weak contact, but his inability to miss bats is
worrisome, and he's also 34 years old. It wouldn't be the worst idea in the
world to bring him back, but I'd be surprised if he ended up back in Queens.
NY Mets players most fans wouldn’t mind trading away
3) Jeff
McNeil
Some people just don’t like Jeff McNeil because of the
way he presents himself. Hotheaded during his calm moments, his temper is
off-putting. Crab legs are treated more nicely at a buffet than the way he does
his bat and helmet when something doesn’t go his way.
As a player, McNeil proved himself to be incredibly
useful yet again this season. What would the Mets have done in center field if
not for him? His 28 starts at the position helped give them a more capable
starting lineup at a time when he was hitting well. It’s a shame he had to end
his regular season in such a rotten slump.
McNeil finished the year hitting .243/.335/.411. He was
absent during the biggest parts of the season with a defensive guffaw in center
field against the Philadelphia Phillies costing them a game. With several
chances to change how fans felt on Sunday, McNeil went 0 for 4 with a pair of
strikeouts.
It seems like every offseason includes the idea of
trading McNeil. After his extension he signed following a batting title in
2022, McNeil has been less his usual self. Once capable of hitting .300 with no
problem, we’re now requesting a .250 batting average from him to reach the bare
minimum.
If there’s a trade to shake up the lineup this offseason,
it would probably have McNeil and his almost $16 million with a team option
going elsewhere. Nothing seems certain, but with so many other veterans locked
up to contracts the way they are and young players coming up at the positions
McNeil plays, this feels like a stronger possibility. For those who’ve turned
on McNeil, save the champagne bottle for the MLB Winter Meetings.
Three key questions facing the Mets this offseason
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6675507/2025/09/30/mets-offseason-three-key-questions/
Will Pete Alonso be
back?
Let’s run this one back from last winter. The two-year
deal Alonso signed with the Mets before this season included an opt-out after
2025 that was always designed to be exercised, and especially so after the kind
of year Alonso just concluded.
It was the first baseman’s best offensive season since
2022, as he delivered a league-leading 41 doubles to go along with 38 homers
and 126 RBIs. His OPS was 83 percentage points higher than a season ago.
The negotiating dynamic should be different, then. Alonso
has a better platform season and the massive $500 million extension handed to
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to reset the first-base market on his side. The Mets can
say Alonso is another year older and took a step back defensively. They can
again wait to see what value the rest of the league places on the slugger.
If the Mets are concerned enough about Alonso’s glove — and they were very concerned about the state of their defense for much of the season — they could pitch him on the idea of spending the bulk of his time at designated hitter while they bring in another first baseman. Alonso has long prided himself on his defense, though, and that could be a tough sell.
Starling Marte
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6681057/2025/10/02/mets-starling-marte-mlb-free-agent/
“He’s a different character,” Soto said. “He is always
happy. He is always willing to help everybody in this clubhouse. Since I got
here, he has put me under his wing. He’s been helping me. Teaching me. Showing
me a lot of things about how we do things over here, the Mets way.”
Marte’s .745 OPS and nine home runs represented his best numbers since 2022, when he was a catalyst for the Mets as their starting right fielder. Soto’s presence pushed Marte into a part-time job as a designated hitter. Through May 17, Marte’s OPS stood at just .604, but Mets manager Carlos Mendoza stuck with the veteran. Over his final 243 plate appearances, Marte hit .295 with a .795 OPS.
What
about the qualifying offer?
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6680782/2025/10/02/mets-payroll-entering-long-offseason/
The qualifying offer will be worth approximately $22
million (according to the New York Post). Any player extended a qualifying
offer will have 15 days to decide whether to accept it. As a repeat luxury-tax
payer, the Mets would receive a draft pick between the fourth and fifth rounds
should any of their free agents reject a qualifying offer and sign elsewhere
for at least $50 million.
Mets
could target a rising ace who dominates in Houston to anchor their rotation
The blueprint is clear. Just as the White Sox saw an opportunity to trade Garrett Crochet while he still had two years of arbitration control, the Mets could approach the Houston Astros in much the same way. The Astros, who missed the postseason for the first time since 2016, are facing an aging roster and one of baseball’s weakest farm systems. Their bright spot in 2025 was the emergence of starting pitcher Hunter Brown, who also has three years of arbitration remaining. For Houston, turning a high-level starter like Brown into a package of top prospects would be a prime way to accelerate a rebuild.
For the Mets, the trade
framework is simple: start with Brandon Sproat and
Jett Williams as the headliners. This
mirrors the White Sox’s offer for Crochet and gives New York a credible anchor
for negotiations. To sweeten the package, the Mets could include starting
pitcher Will Watson, their No. 11 prospect,
and outfielder Nick Morabito, the team’s No.
16 prospect. Together, these pieces offer the Astros immediate value and
potential future stars—exactly what they would be seeking from a Brown trade.
Why the NY Mets Should Add Carlos Beltran to 2026 Staff
https://sportsnaut.com/mlb/mets-coaching-changes-carlos-beltran-bench/
In November of 2019, nine-time All-Star Carlos Beltran
was hired to be the new New York Mets manager. The former Houston Astros
assistant who starred for six and a half seasons in Queens was returning to
bring the club back to prominence. Then it was revealed that the ‘Stros used an
elaborate cheating program to win the World Series in 2017, and anyone
connected to that became persona non grata around the league.
After stepping down from the job, Beltran has worked to
rebuild his reputation, and many around the game feel he deserves a second
chance. Obviously, he won’t replace Mendoza, but if he was viewed as good
enough to be a manager by New York and other teams a few years back, he could
be a strong fit as a new bench coach.
Beltran has worked in the team’s front office for the last couple of years and has a deep knowledge of the organization. He is one of the best players of his generation, and his understanding of the game is respected around the league. At the very least, he should be considered as an option to be their new hitting coach in 2026.
Predicting the New York Mets’ qualifying offer decisions
https://www.si.com/mlb/mets/news/predicting-the-new-york-mets-qualifying-offer-decisions-john9
Edwin Díaz (if he opts
out)
Similar to Alonso, Díaz has an opt-out clause in his
contract after the 2025 season. However, the three-time All-Star closer has not
yet made a final decision on whether to test free agency or play out the
remaining two years and $38 million left in his current deal.
Díaz, 31, made 62 appearances for New York this season,
posting a 1.63 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, and 13.3 K/9 rate while converting 28 of his 31
save opportunities. With those dominant numbers, many have speculated that the
star closer will in fact opt out to seek a long-term deal.
Prediction: If Díaz opts out and does not agree on an
extension before free agency, the Mets will certainly extend him the qualifying
offer. The one-year value is in the ballpark of hat he could earn annually on
his next contract, so there is no risk in offering that deal—though he would
decline it.
Trading Brandon Nimmo
One player who has played a part in the team's success
over the years has been Brandon Nimmo. He is coming off an exceptional season
this year, where he played in 155 games, hitting a career-high 25 home runs and
92 runs batted in.
His success this year could be something that other teams
are searching for. During Wednesday's livestream with Bleacher Report, insider
Jon Heyman urged the Mets to trade Nimmo.
Nimmo still has five years left of his eight-year, $162
million contract that he signed in December of 2022. With another team needing
to commit to his AAV of $20.25 million, Heyman does not see that as being
unreasonable, and the Mets could get a solid return.
JJ
Cooper @jjcoop36
Four-seam FB velocity in the postseason, 2008-2025
Breaking
Down the New York Mets’ $342 Million Collapse
https://boardroom.tv/new-york-mets-play-by-play/
Expect Cohen to spend even more money to build a winner
40 years after the Mets’ last World Series title, especially after getting one
step closer to securing a New York State casino license for the area around
Citi Field. No matter how you personally feel about Cohen, he spends money on
his team, and they’ll still have the nucleus of a dynamic, exciting, potent
offense led by Soto, Francisco Lindor, and Brandon Nimmo that finished in the
top 10 in runs, OPS, home runs, and steals. If Alonso departs in free agency,
expect Cohen to be aggressive in more than replacing his offensive value. Also,
money doesn’t necessarily buy you success, especially considering four of the
10 highest MLB payrolls this year missed the 2025 postseason, like the Mets
did.
15 comments:
Last night, as I was trying to build my version of a Mets off-season, I looked at a Holmes for Jarren Duran trade. And as I looked at Duran, I saw a younger and less productive version of Brandon Nimmo. Much less productive. So, if Duran was such a hot commodity last year, why do we scorn Nimmo? Is it too much familiarity or rather impatience? Nimmo is a good player and should be left alone, but it’s the expectations placed on him to be a cleanup hitter, and he just isn’t a player to carry a team, like Lindor, Soto, Alonso? maybe can. Nimmo needs to be hitting either 1, 5, or 6.
You guys read on Fansided that the Braves want to interview Beltran for their open managerial position? Oh that would suck!!
I can live with Alonso coming back but not Diaz. I don’t want a head case that can’t hold runners and I don’t know how much zip is left in the fastball. But primarily because I have seen his best years are all during his walk years.
Anybody that thinks Nimmo had a bad season in 2025 needs to look up the MLB Top batting averages. HR, and RBI rankings
I just don't understand the whole Beltran love fest by Mets fans
Lose Diaz?
Fine
Sign Helsley
Good question. I view Nimmo like Pete (love them both as players & lifetime, homegrown Mets). The issue is their respective contract requirements coupled with their ages. They tie up spots & payroll for years as they age & hurt defense. iMO, The team can’t keep both as thy will ultimately become DH only as they age. Nimmo is better athlete but is already broken down (can’t play CF & hobbles around LF with weak arm. Pete will have to go to DH eventually. It’s not next year or even 2027 it’s everything beyond that. With Lindor & Soto contracts & years remaining it really limits the teams flexibility to compete.
The dodgers let both Seager & Belanger go - which is crazy when you think about that. They applied their cash to others that fit better & are playing for another WS right now.
To take these positions with such beloved players sucks but it is unfortunately part of the game.
Steve may sign Pete & we live with both & get competitive for the next couple of years with the rest of the retooling. But we will be kicking this can down the road.
I’m highly confident Stearns will go into the offseason looking for an alternative way & only bring back Pete if ther terms really suit the Mets.
Otherwise, Steve & Stearns need to be ready to carry $400M payrolls for the remainder of Lindors contract (& thankfully, Steve can do that if he wants, especially if he gets the casino deal)
The idea of bring Pete back as our DH makes a lot of sense. No NL team has gotten less from the DH position than the Mets. His best defense is behind him and he won’t injure other players with his bad throws warming up in the cage between ABs.
Gus, I agree with you on Nimmo. Especially about his position in the order. He should not be batting fourth. I have ragged on him in the past, but if you really look at it objectively his salary is not bad. Guys are making a lot more for similar offensive production. The real issue is the length of his contract.
The real problem with this team is we have a team full of potential DH's. playing positions that need to be upgraded defensively.
Last thought, if they don't sign Alonso and Diaz I would love to see them reset the payroll.
Nimmo, Pete, Soto and Vientos are all below average fielders
Sorry the last line belongs with the DH comment. Forgot to proof read.
Everybody thinks that other teams want to take on large sums of money left on contracts of aging players
I nevernforgettoproffreed
Mack, are you taking gummies this early??
Beware theming ballplayer. Schwarber proves there are exceptions.
REMEMBER: Nimmo contract was straight lined for the 8 years. Ifithad been age-weighted, instead of $60 million the first 3 seasons, he would have made $85 million. The last 5 years would be $75 million, not $100 million. He’d be an excellent 5 year,$75 million guy if signed for 5 years right now.
Hunter Brown? Looks smart to me.
No one is taking on Nimmo’s contract with 5 years remaining. If you’re looking to win in ‘26/‘27, DH him 20 times, have him sit 25 games vs. bad matchup. That’ll keep him fresher and keep a valuable bat in the lineup for 115.
Love to see Beltran as a bench coach next year. That way he'd be available when Mendoza gets his walking papers.
Gummies good
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