Reese Kaplan -- Who's the Mets Most Disappointing 2026 Player?

Who would you characterize as the most disappointing of the current Mets?  There’s no need to delve back into the roster for the plethora of bad trades, draft picks and free agent signings that didn’t pan out as expected.  All we want to consider is the team David Stearns built to win the pennant in 2026.

Jorge Polanco’s contract caught many Mets fans by surprise.  First of all, no one felt he was going to be a legitimate replacement for the departed Pete Alonso.  Everyone was aware of his long injury history.  While he has decent power and in 2021 provided 33 HRs with 98 RBIs and a .269 average while playing for the Twins.  The problem has always been his availability.  Only twice in his 13 year major league career has he played 150 games.  The Mets learned first hand how that feels during his initial season in New York.

Marcus Semien’s acquisition was a puzzling one on a few levels.  Yes, he had been a major star player in the American League replete with 3 All Star appearances during his 14 year career.  Unfortunately between age and health he hasn’t been all that productive in the past few years.  Giving up home grown Brandon Nimmo for a more expensive player albeit on a shorter contract for a former star in decline didn’t seem to make a lot of sense.  Thus far the naysayers have been proven right.

Luis Robert is a stellar fielder with terrific home run power who also has not been able to stay on the field.  He had that one stellar season in 2023 but before and after have not show much from the man.  That year he hit 38 HRs and drove in 80 while stealing 20 bases and showing Gold Glove defense over 145 games.  It resulted in an extended contract in the $20 million per year range.  Before and after that outlier he has been in fewer than 100 games most seasons with 100 exactly in 2024 and 110 in 2025.  The only positive was the increase to 33 stolen bases last season.  This year he’s not going to play in 100 games yet again.

Brett Baty has his fans but lately they are becoming rather difficult to find.  Playing parts of five seasons he’s a career .229 hitter with moderate power and increasingly suspect defense in a variety of positions.  Isn’t it time to declare this experiment over when the season ends?

Mark Vientos at least had that one outstanding season in 2024 but before and after he has the Brett Baty disease with even worse defense.  A career .234 hitter with more power and RBIs than Baty, the difference is not significant enough to advocate giving him any more time to prove himself.  Being on the IL is helping him not contribute to more Mets losses.

Sean Manaea was a mid-rotation starting pitcher when David Stearns brought him here during the Mets’ last post season team in 2024.  He delivered better than expected and was rewarded with a new deal for $75 million over three years.  He missed most of 2025 and part of 2026 after getting booted from the rotation.  Now he’s a flip of the coin each time he takes the mound and definitely not worth his paycheck.

Kodai Senga is perhaps the most puzzling of all of the disappointing players.  He was pitching like a frontline starter when he first got here but between his health and his performance he’s also pitched his way into the bullpen.  He’s still under contract but everyone from the pitching coach, the fans and the media all cringe visibly whenever he takes the mound

Freddy Peralta was obviously a star pitcher for the Brewers and David Stearns knew him quite well from his days heading up that club’s front office.  The trade price for him in his walk year was a bit stiff though neither of the sacrificed players have done much for Milwaukee.  Right now he’s as unreliable as Manaea but with free agency pending he will surely be on many clubs’ wish list for a last minute 2026 trade. 

Devin Williams is another former Brewer who seems to have left whatever was working for him in Wisconsin.  His 2025 tenure in the Bronx was terrible and although on paper it seemed a worthy gamble to have him step in as a replacement for the now gone Edwin Diaz, he’s demonstrated a second consecutive year of poor performance.

So, if you’re going to vote on the most disappointing player on the roster, who would it be?  Personally I would have to go with Peralta who seemed positioned to be a top of the rotation starter now and in the future with a firm relationship with David Stearns.  Now he's trade bait.