MACK: Hot Bats – Bohan Adderley, Randy Guzman, Christian Arroyo

 

 

Minimum 113 at-bats

 

Bohan Adderley/FCL Mets - .851-OPS

Bohan Adderley (full name: Bohan Christopher Adderley) is a 19-year-old (born November 10, 2006) Bahamian professional baseball prospect in the New York Mets organization. He plays primarily as a shortstop and outfielder (with some time at third base and second), bats and throws right-handed, and stands 6'3" / 180 lbs.

From Nassau, Bahamas.

He initially tried baseball briefly as a child but stepped away before returning around 2015, inspired by his older brother Bakari and friends.

He developed through the Junior Baseball League of Nassau and the International Elite (I-Elite) Sports Academy.

Signed with the Mets as an international free agent on January 15, 2024 (announced around January 17). He was one of the first from his academy to sign with the Mets.

He has a notable personal connection to MLB player Jazz Chisholm Jr. (Yankees), as Chisholm played with his brother in the Bahamas and has mentored him.

Minor League Career Stats

2024 (DSL Mets, age 17): 47 G, .229 AVG, .356 OBP, .320 SLG, 1 HR, 27 RBI, 27 SB (in 28 attempts), 28 BB, 49 SO in 188 PA. Showed speed and plate discipline but struck out often.

2025 (FCL Mets, age 18): 49 G, .175 AVG, .296 OBP, .263 SLG, 3 HR, 15 RBI, 21 SB, higher strikeouts.

Key tools:

Plus speed (elite baserunning), developing power, and a strong arm. He has shown flashes of hitting ability and on-base skills but needs to reduce strikeouts for further advancement.

Adderley is a toolsy, athletic prospect with high upside due to his speed and frame, though he is still raw at the plate. Mets fans and prospect watchers often note his potential as a versatile defender and base-stealer. Keep an eye on him as he climbs the system in the coming seasons.

 

Randy Guzman/St. Lucie Mets - .826-OPS

Randy Guzman (full name: Randy Enmanuel Guzman) is a right-handed hitting and throwing first baseman/corner outfielder in the New York Mets minor league system.

Born April 19, 2005, in Tenares, Dominican Republic, he is currently 21 years old (as of 2026), stands 6'4" and weighs 215 lbs.

The Mets signed him as an international free agent on September 22, 2022, for a small $10,000 bonus. He was considered a "passed-over" prospect at the time due to his relatively advanced age for an international signing. He is the younger brother of former Texas Rangers first baseman Ronald Guzman.

(2023-2024): He spent time in the Dominican Summer League (DSL) with modest results (.175/.333/.294 in 2023; .209/.303/.388 combined in 2024). He showed some power but high strikeout rates.

2025: He made his stateside debut and exploded, hitting a combined .302/.375/.524 with 10 HR, 22 doubles, and 2 triples in 75 games split between the Florida Complex League (FCL) and Low-A St. Lucie. In a strong 26-game stint at St. Lucie, he slashed .333/.381/.604. He earned FCL Post-Season All-Star honors and FSL Player of the Week.

Career minor league line (through 2026): Around .251 AVG with solid on-base skills and emerging power (24 HR in limited action).

Strengths: Plus raw power (60 grade) with easy bat speed (often in the mid-70s mph range) and high exit velocities (90th percentile around 108 mph; he's hit balls over 117 mph). Good contact when he stays in the zone (strong zone contact rate).

Weaknesses: Below-average runner (30 grade), high chase rate, and swing-and-miss potential. Hit tool is fringe (35 grade). Defensively, he's played multiple positions (mostly 1B, some corner OF) but projects as a first baseman long-term due to limited range.

Overall: Mets #23 prospect with an ETA around 2028. His power gives him a chance to profile at the demanding 1B spot if the bat keeps developing.

Guzman is a toolsy, power-focused prospect who turned heads with his work ethic and 2025 breakout after quiet early years. He has boom potential if he refines his plate discipline, but he remains a developmental project in the lower minors.

 

Christian Arroyo/Syracuse Mets - .797-OPS, 41-RBI

Christian Arroyo (full name: Christian Israel Arroyo) is a 31-year-old veteran infielder (born May 30, 1995, in Tampa, FL) currently in the New York Mets organization, playing primarily at Triple-A Syracuse.

Selected by the San Francisco Giants in the 1st round (25th overall) of the 2013 MLB Draft out of Hernando High School in Brooksville, Florida. He was once a highly regarded prospect.

MLB Debut: April 24, 2017, with the Giants.

Previous MLB Teams: San Francisco Giants (2017), Tampa Bay Rays (2018–2019), Cleveland Indians/Guardians (2020), and Boston Red Sox (2020–2023).

He has not appeared in the majors since 2023.

MLB Career Stats (through 2023, 295 games)

Batting: .252 AVG, .299 OBP, .394 SLG, .693 OPS

Power/Contact: 24 HR, 120 RBI, 231 hits in 917 AB

Defense: Versatile infielder who has played 2B, 3B, SS, plus some 1B and outfield.

Solid contact skills and a strong arm, though not an elite defender.

He showed some promise in limited action (especially with Boston in 2021–2022) but has mostly been a utility/bench player or depth option due to injuries and competition.

Signed a minor-league deal with the Mets in January 2026 (with a spring training invite).

Arroyo is a depth piece/utility option for the Mets. He provides veteran infield insurance and has experience across the diamond, but the team’s crowded middle infield and focus on younger players make a major-league return challenging.

Physical: 6'0"–6'1", 220 lbs, bats/throws right-handed. Known for making consistent contact and developing some power, though strikeouts have been an issue at times in the majors.

Overall, he’s a classic journeyman infielder — a former top prospect who has carved out a long professional career through versatility and minor-league consistency, now hoping for another MLB opportunity with the Mets.

Steve Sica - Does Tanking Really Work in Baseball?

With the Mets sitting at 37-54, if the season ended today, they would have the fourth overall pick. Of course, the MLB Draft Lottery could move that pick around, and if it falls to seventh or worse, the Mets' selection would drop another 10 spots because of the MLB's luxury tax penalty. 

While the Mets sit in a very distant last place in the NL East, the division title and all three Wild Card spots seem out of reach heading into the All-Star Break. There are already fans across social media rooting for the Mets to tank and land a top draft pick. 

As of July 6, they are just two games better than the Angels for the No. 1 overall selection. But for all the losing involved, is tanking, whether intentional or not, really worth it in the long run? Is the cost of playing horrible baseball for a season or two, risking alienating your fan base, and establishing a losing culture around your franchise actually worth the chance at sustained success over the next five to seven years? 

Unlike the NFL or NBA, tanking in baseball isn't nearly as common or as obvious. The MLB Draft is also very different from those of the other two sports. The NFL Draft is an event. It's discussed throughout virtually the entire offseason leading up to the end of April. It draws higher television ratings than the first round of both the NBA and NHL playoffs, which are taking place at the same time. That's because in the NFL, one player—especially a quarterback—can completely change the course of a franchise. 

One thing I like about baseball is that it's perhaps the ultimate team sport. One player doesn't automatically make you a World Series favorite. Just ask Mike Trout or Shohei Ohtani during his Angels days. Bryce Harper, the first overall pick in 2010 and one of the most hyped prospects in recent memory, has yet to win a World Series. That's not a knock on him at all. 

He certainly helped turn the Nationals into winners during the mid-2010s, though they ironically won the World Series the year after he left for Philadelphia in 2019. Harper reached the World Series with the Phillies in 2022 and won NLCS MVP honors that year, but you could argue he wasn't the only reason for their success. Philadelphia has done an excellent job of surrounding Harper with talent through both free agency and smart trades. 

High draft picks are nice because they bring in a player who immediately becomes one of the top prospects in your system, but that doesn't guarantee Major League success. Plenty of top prospects become busts. The Mets selected Kevin Parada with the 11th overall pick in the 2022 draft, and he has yet to make it past Triple-A. 

If tanking really worked and high draft picks were the secret formula for winning World Series titles, the Los Angeles Angels would be the late-1990s Yankees by now. They haven't made the playoffs since 2014 and haven't posted a winning season since 2015. They also haven't finished higher than 10th out of 15 American League teams in each of the last six seasons, and that streak is likely to reach seven by the end of 2026. Not only have the Angels been one of baseball's worst teams over the past decade, but their farm system is also routinely ranked near the bottom of the league. 

Meanwhile, their crosstown rivals, the Dodgers, have won back-to-back World Series, made the playoffs every season during that same span, and consistently boast one of baseball's best farm systems. They've accomplished all of that despite rarely picking until the late 30s or early 40s in the draft and often forfeiting selections after signing qualified free agents. 

The best modern example of tanking working is the Houston Astros. Between 2011 and 2013, they lost a combined 324 games and failed to win more than 56 games in a single season. Those lean years paid off with several outstanding draft picks. By 2015, they had reached the ALDS. By 2017, they had won the franchise's first World Series. They sustained that success throughout the late 2010s, returning to the World Series in 2019 and 2021 before winning another championship in 2022. For the sake of this discussion, we'll ignore the trash can scandal. The point remains that being very, very bad can eventually produce tremendous rewards for a franchise.

The Baltimore Orioles followed a similar path during the late 2010s and early 2020s. They went 47-115 in 2018, lost 108 games in 2019, and then lost 110 games in 2021, securing the No. 1 overall pick after each of those seasons. Eventually, they emerged from their rebuild. In 2023, just two years after losing 110 games, they won 101 games, the franchise's best record since 1979. However, they didn't experience the same postseason success as Houston. 

They were swept by the Rangers in the ALDS. The following season, they won a respectable 91 games but were swept again, this time by the Royals in the Wild Card Series. In 2025, they fell below .500, and now, in July 2026, they sit at 42-48. After all that losing, their peak still didn't produce a single postseason victory, something they haven't accomplished since 2014. 

Tanking can improve your draft position, and in theory, the higher you pick, the better your chances of landing a star player. But scouting, player development, and drafting well matter far more than draft position alone. So does navigating free agency wisely and making trades that strengthen your organization rather than weaken it. It's still too early to fairly evaluate David Stearns' draft classes since he's only overseen two. 

Carson Benge looks promising, but that's about all we can say with confidence. The 2025 class has shown flashes of promise, but there are also early concerns, both about performance and staying healthy. 

To all the fans, myself included, who are starting to root for this team to tank, ask yourself one question: Do you trust David Stearns and this Mets front office with a high draft pick, even the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 MLB Draft?

Cautious Optimist -- I've Seen the Future and It is Murder/Not Terrible/Not So Bad/Much Brighter Than You Think/ Simply Fabulous

 

Where do we go from here?  

I had a colleague whose general approach to life was captured by the following 'insight' he shared with younger faculty puzzled and anxious about their futures: 

"The past is settled, the present fleeting, and the future unknowable.''   

My colleague, unsurprisingly, adopted a stoic approach to his life; he took life as it came and adjusted accordingly.  It was as if his life was primarily something that happened to him as opposed to a mixture of agency, happenstance and luck -- both good and badl 

The phrase stuck with me but never took root in my approach to life -- for three reasons.   

First, it didn't strike me as true or insightful.

As a factual matter, the past is settled.  Nothing we can do now to change it. But the past should not be confused with the history of it.  History is the recording of what happened, which is not a chronology, but a weaving together of events designed to provide a narrative.  It is an interpretive and creative activity.  Histories are usually fashioned by 'the winners/victors', and it seems that there are always forces afoot who are looking to suppress unflattering aspects of it.

Facts can not be erased, but histories often blot them out from view

The present may be fleeting in the grand scheme of things, but it is rarely experienced by any of us as ephemeral.  We are often advised to 'be present' and to 'live in the present' and to 'cherish each moment.'  All reasonable suggestions, and all presuppose a very different idea of the particular slice of time we refer to as 'the present.'  Certainly not something that is gone in the wink of an eye.

As for the future, it may be unknowable in all its details, but much of it is predictable.  Thankfully so, otherwise making our way through life would be immeasurably more difficult than it already is.  And of course, what we do now, and what we plan to do going forward gives us some say about what it will look like. 

Of course we need to adjust to what happens and to navigate the world as it throws roadblocks and challenges our way, but part of the joy of life is imagining what could be; and part of living a life requires planning for likely events and developing strategies for achieving our goals -- including minimizing the impact of those inevitable roadblocks. 

Second, the stoic approach is morally lazy at best and an attempt to resist responsibility and ownership for the life one lives at worst.

Third, it takes a hell of a lot of fun out of life -- especially the joy we get as fans of our team (which otherwise, for Mets fans, provides so little when we are living in the present).  

Yankee fans can mitigate the pain of living in the present by sharing memories and stories of the past.  

We Mets fans have only 'possible futures' to mitigate the horrors of the present.

Here's my proposal as to how we should deal with our absolutely miserable present: let us dream or at least imagine a brighter Mets future!

Why not.  Let's play GM. Join me.  I'll go first. 

Where shall we start? What are the rules?

Let's make it simple.  Let's each identify a realistic and nevertheless uplifting roster for the 2027 Mets.  No allstars at every position allowed.  All I ask is that the roster you construct is rooted (however loosely) in reality. 

While you are not being asked to fashion a plan for the next five years, the roster you come up is not constructed by selling off the future altogether.  Let's keep it compatible with the organization's general strategy of going forward with at least a fourth of the current roster, and matching that with (roughly) equal parts players obtained from trades, free agency and through promotion from the minor league affiliates. 

You should also indicate which of the players on the current roster you are committed to eliminating from next year's roster.  You can make a suggestion of the new manager if you like but that is not necessary.

Everyone gets to update their initial rosters and explain changes they make right through the trade deadline.  All rosters will be final thereafter.

At the start of the 2027 season, we will compare our rosters with the one the Mets are taking up North.  There are no winners or losers here.  The point of the exercise is that we all get to play GM without having to pay the price, and we get to measure our rosters against what the GM/POBO actually comes up.  

I'll start; join in when you feel like sharing and putting your thoughts into the Mack's Mets eco-system.  I'll keep track of the submissions.

The goal is not to predict what Stearns et al will do, but to imagine what is possible and see how we do.

My roster for the 2027 Mets and some short explanations when necessary

Manager --?  If I had to choose now I would be leaning towards Beltran, but I'm going to wait until the trade deadline to announce my choice.

Oufielders:  Soto, Ewing, Benge, Morabito, Taylor

Infielders: Contreras (1B); Bichette (2B); CJ Abrams (SS) Lindor (3B).  

In my narrative, Contreras is obtained at the deadline in a trade with Red Sox.  Sox need pitching; Contreras has only one year left on his current contract.  I see Contreras playing 1st for the Mets next year and am open to signing him for another two years either at 1B or DH or both -- depending on whether Soto moves to !B or not. At DH he would replace Polanco  Don't know the price for Contreras, but I think they like left handed bats for their porch.  I assume a pitching prospect in A ball, and either Baty, Mauricio or Clifford, any of whom could cover 1B for the remainder of the season or longer at low cost and allow the Sox to spend their savings elsewhere. 

The Nationals would be in first place if they had any pitching.  They have 10 blown saves.  That's how good their offense has been.  They don't want to pay Abrams going forward. I give them Tong, and a choice from a list of others farther down in the minors; one should be a reliever and the other a position player.

Arrangement of the infield can change.  Bichette can stay at 3rd, Abrams move to 2B and Lindor stay at SS.

His contract makes trading him impossible, and off this year, with a potential lockout, it makes no sense for him to opt out.

Other infielders on roster:  Defense, defense, defense, versatility and someone with a power bat.  I'll fill in by the deadline.

Starting pitchers: McLean, Scott, Santucci, Skubal, Ryan/Holmes

The Mets need a real ACE; they cost money and years.  Spend it now so you don't have to keep doing what we have been doing for years on end at a higher overall cost with less chance of success.  

This is the only area where I am recommending adding payroll immediately, but it saves in the long run as it gives time to develop internal options for the rotation.  Ryan will also cost, but significantly less.  We need veterans who have had success.  I may find an alternative to Ryan later and backups for Skubal, but I don't think you should allow yourself to be outbid for Skubal.

I don't think we will get enough for Holmes at the deadline to make trading him worthwhile.  If you don't trade him, then you need to at least consider extending him and I would.   You buy his option year and add 2 years, and this makes sense since if he falters in the 2nd year, he can go into the bullpen as a high leverage reliever.

Relief pitchers: Williams, Weaver, Brazoban, Minter, Raley, ?   

I may have to update if any are traded at the deadline.  I would also like to add a hard throwing high leverage reliever.  I don't yet know about Lambert and Ross.  And there are always lots of middle inning relievers available in the offseason.  Most fluid part of the roster.  Teams at deadline are always looking for relievers; in the offseason, there are invariably dozens of relievers available.

Catchers: Torrens, Alvarez

If Torrens could hit a bit better, I'd start him for 100 games.  I don't believe in Alvarez at all.  I've produced videos, explained the problems.  Apparently others on the site are not convinced.  I saw an article in the Athletic today in which trading Alvarez is presented as a likely source of a bounty in return.  According to the article he hold up is that the Mets won't give up on such a young talented offensive player.

Honestly, the article could have been better for the Mets if they had planted it themselves.

The reality is the following: The TV booth showed his numbers recently and highlighting his average over the 9 windows of the strike zone and some choice spots outside the zone.  

Every HOLE in his swing they commented on was one I not only identified but explained in the videos. If you haven't seen the videos, don't look at them if you want to believe in Alvarez.  If you do look at them and still believe in Alvarez, I've got a bridge you might interested in purchasing.

He is stubborn, immature and calls a poor game.  The Mets have some really good catching prospects farther down in the minors, but no one ready.  Catchers are in short supply.  

I've already expressed my view that he be sent to movement pattern expert the day after the season ends. If it doesn't take, he's got to go. 

Pray for a team that believes that they can fix him.  Even so, a bounty?  Not so sure.

What to do instead at catcher?  I need more time to think about it.

DH: Polanco supplemented by Soto and Contreras and days of partial rest for others as needed

Other bench spots to be filled in as needed.

Whose on my got 'to go' list?

Vientos, Baty, Manaea, Semien 

Manaea and Semien are high cost liabilities.  This isn't the NBA so there are no big time salary dumps available.  Cohen will have to pay the bulk of salary for both if he hopes to secure a return in the form of a prospect or two.

Mauricio has disappointed when given a chance, but he hasn't been given anything like the chances that Baty and Vientos have.  

One of Wagaman or Young has to go.  Maybe both.  

You can find alternatives to them every year during the offseason. No one is better at shopping in the discard bin than Stearns.

Conclusion

Well that's my first take.

Periodic updates to follow as the market develops.

It's your turn to imagine the future. No need to provide detailed explanations of how the players you choose are obtained or a justification for placing them on your roster. Both will always be welcomed however.  

Mr or Ms. GM.  Let's see what your 2027 Mets roster looks like!

MACK – Hot Arms – Juan Arnaud, Esteban Mejia, Omar Victorino

 

Lowest ERA

 

Period:  6/15-6/28

 

Juan Arnaud/Brooklyn – 0.75-WHIP, 12.2-IP, 8-K, 1-BB, 0-ER, 0.00

Juan Arnaud is a right-handed relief pitcher in the New York Mets minor league system (primarily with the Brooklyn Cyclones at High-A as of 2026). He was signed by the Mets as an international free agent from the Dominican Republic (Cotui) in January 2021.

He is listed at 6'2", 164 lbs, born June 22, 2003 (age 23 in 2026).

Arnaud is a bullpen arm who has mostly relieved (very few starts).

2025: Stronger year overall (6-4, 3.40 ERA in 35 G across A and A+), with a standout 2.45 ERA in 29 G at Single-A St. Lucie (including FSL Pitcher of the Week honors). He struggled in a brief A+ stint.

Career minors (through 2026): Around 18-9, ~4.08 ERA in 125+ games, solid strikeout rates (often 10+ K/9 in better seasons) but some control and home run issues early on.

He has improved his command and consistency as he has climbed levels, with low home run rates in stronger seasons. He has also pitched in the Dominican Winter League.

Repertoire

As a reliever, Arnaud relies primarily on a fastball (sitting in the mid-90s, up to 94-96 mph) and a slider. Scouting notes/projected grades (from one simulation-style report) list his fastball around 50/55 potential and slider 45/55, with lower grades on a sinker and cutter. He is described as a flyball pitcher with developing stuff.

His fastball velocity and the breaking action on the slider give him swing-and-miss potential, especially in shorter relief outings. He has shown the ability to miss bats (e.g., striking out 6 in a 2-inning save).

Outlook

Arnaud is a depth relief prospect with a chance to move up as a high-leverage minor league reliever or potential MLB bullpen piece if he refines command and adds consistency against better hitters.

 

Esteban Mejia/DSL Blue – 1.33-WHIP, 3-IP, 1-K, 1-BB, 0-ER, 0.00

Esteban Mejia is a 17-year-old right-handed pitching prospect (born May 20, 2009, in Peravia, Dominican Republic) who was signed by the New York Mets as an international free agent on June 2, 2026.

He is listed at 6'1" / 186 lbs and throws right-handed.

He was assigned to the DSL Mets Blue (Dominican Summer League) and activated shortly after signing.

Mejia is one of the Mets' lower-profile 2026 international signings. The Mets have invested heavily in the international market (headlined by bigger bonuses for position players like shortstops), but they continue to add pitching depth from the Dominican Republic. At this stage, he is a raw, teenage arm with projection remaining.

Keep an eye on him in the DSL for the rest of 2026. If he shows strikeout ability or velocity like many young Dominican arms, he could rise in the Mets' system.

 

Omar Victorino/FCL Mets – 1.50-WHIP, 3,1-IP, 2-K, 1-BB, 0-ER, 0.00

Omar Victorino is a right-handed pitching prospect in the New York Mets organization (born June 9, 2005, in Villa Altagracia, Dominican Republic; age 21 as of 2026).

He stands 6'2" and weighs around 170 lbs.

The Mets signed him as an international free agent (UDFA) in January 2022 for a $50,000 bonus.

He has spent most of his pro career in the lower minors, primarily the Dominican Summer League (DSL), Florida Complex League (FCL), and some time with Single-A St. Lucie (FSL). He has shown flashes of promise but remains a developmental arm with command and consistency challenges.

2025 (best full season): 4-2, 3.97 ERA across FCL (2-2, 3.86 ERA in 39.2 IP) and St. Lucie (2-0, 4.15 ERA in 26 IP). Solid strike-throwing with improved control.

He profiles as a potential bullpen piece or back-end starter if he refines his command. Durability has been decent, but he has had rough transitions to full-season ball.

Repertoire

Limited public scouting details are available, but reports from his early U.S. debut (2023 FCL) note:

Fastball: Reaches 95 mph (sits in the low-to-mid 90s range based on early reports). He has some velocity projection with his frame.

Slider: Described as a "big" or "sweeping" slider with good movement—his key swing-and-miss pitch early on.

One simulation/scouting-style report lists a potential four-pitch mix with room to grow: Fastball (current ~40 grade, potential 55), Slider (35/55), Changeup (30/55), and a developing Curveball (20/30). Velocity in the 93-95 mph range is noted, with a suggested bullpen/groundball role.

He has generated strikeouts (around 9+ K/9 in some seasons) but walks too many (high BB/9, especially in A-ball). The slider appears to be his main weapon to complement the fastball.

Overall Outlook:

Victorino is a low-level depth arm with intriguing arm talent and a projectable frame. 2025 showed progress in the FCL.

Paul Articulates - The pen is mightier

An old English author named Edward Bulwer-Lytton once said, “The pen is mightier than the sword”.  He may have been right, and if he were still alive now, he may also have surmised, “The Mets pen is mightier than any other aspect of the team”.

This agonizing year of baseball that is playing out in Queens has very few bright spots, but among the brightest is the performance of the bullpen.  This is truly an amazing accomplishment, because the other side of the pitching staff, the starters, has been downright awful.  This has put tremendous stress on the bullpen to survive the hefty innings load, but the five guys on the back end of the Mets relief corps have been great.

Okay, forget what Brazoban did yesterday.  That was a mental failing that will surely become a lesson learned based upon his reaction.

Otherwise, the Mets had the third best bullpen ERA in MLB heading into yesterday’s game at 3.42.  This is mostly due to the following five arms:

Huascar Brazoban – 35IP; 22H; 10ER; 35K

AJ Minter – 15 IP; 8 H; 1 ER; 1 BB; 11K

Brooks Raley – 32 IP; 26 H; 8 ER; 12 BB; 35K

Luke Weaver – 37 IP; 20 H; 8 ER; 9 BB; 41K

Devin Williams – 29 IP; 29 H; 14 ER; 16 BB; 43K

I mention these five by name here as a petition to David Stearns: please do not entertain trading any of these five at the deadline, even though the offers may be sweet.  There are very few other players that I would care to protect, but these five would offer stability to any future team that might be constructed to play competitive baseball in MLB.

There are lots of high salaries that can be dumped, and of these five pen stars, only Devin Williams (3 yrs/51M 2026-2028) makes more than 11M/yr.  That is very reasonable, controllable spending that adds considerable value when you look at what they can mean to any team with capable starters and a lineup that can score a few runs every game.

Please don’t trade them.  You can give away any of our infielders, you can give away the entire bench, you can even unload that generational talent that has not been a key factor in many Mets wins despite putting up all-star numbers.  Just keep the two youngsters in the outfield, the two young starters McLean and Scott, and the five in the back of the pen.  Sell the rest for building blocks.  Return us to watchable baseball.

I am sure that there are readers that would take issue with the number of players on the current roster that I just left on the sale rack, and there may be arguments for any of their individual talents, but as a collective group they have failed to sustain any kind of positive momentum.  And that is the point that should be underscored.  Individual players that have individual value but can’t rally the others for the collective good of the baseball team are not keepers.  Their trade value will bring the essential pieces to build something meaningful.  

To be clear, I am not calling for them all to be gone – I just think they all should be made available, and where the deal will get us closer to the competitive team we hoped to have this year, it should be made.  It is not likely that there will be immediate transformation, so the front office should be very clear with the manager and pitching coaches – do not overuse the five back of the pen arms – at all costs.  We cannot afford to have them hurt or even less effective next season when there is opportunity.

Reese Kaplan -- So Who Might Replace Carlos Mendoza in 2027?

With Carlos Mendoza collecting his paycheck for no longer managing the Mets it seems that everyone has ideas about what kind of replacement skipper would make the most sense for the team moving out of its basement dwelling embarrassment.  Some suggest a highly polished veteran manager would make sense as first time candidate Mendoza did not inspire his team to perform productively.  Others feel that a fresh face with vast baseball career experience could make sense even if he did not have any time with the lineup pencil in his hand.  Still others feel light veterans who have 3-5 years of managerial experience could bridge the gap between these two extremes.

If you peruse the various baseball reporting sites you will find a bevy of names proposed for this role.  Some are good, some are puzzling and others are a bit unknown to the casual fan.  Let’s have a look at the 14 prospective interview candidates to see what they have to offer.

Former Minnesota Twins Rocco Baldelli manager is on the radar as well.  As a new skipper for the club Baldelli came from a coaching background that began with Tampa Bay in a variety of roles before becoming the first base coach for them in 2018.  He was interviewed by several clubs and signed to take over the helm for the Twins for the 2019 season.  He took a team that only won 78 games in 2018 to one with 101 wins in 2019, winning Manager of the Year for his effort.  He returned to the post season again in 2023 but then had two subpar years in 2024 and 2025 which led to his termination.  He has had seven years experience as a manager though not all of it was good.

To many Mets fans the return of once-named manager Carlos Beltran to that role again would generate a lot of positive publicity.  Everyone knows what he did for the team on the field and was a star quality player throughout his long career.  The issue here again is lack of experience though the Mets connection could override the normal amount of concern that would typically greet a rookie skipper.

The first really big name on this alphabetical collection of manager wannabes is former Red Sox manager Alex Cora.  He is highly respected throughout baseball and despite being terminated by Craig Breslow, he owns a 620-541 career record that spanned from 2018 through April of this year.  He has a World Series championship on his record, three playoff appearances and an ALCS appearance in 2023.  He is in the midst of a $21.75 million three year deal that pays him for the completed 2025 season, all of 2026 and the 2027 year as well.  If you hire Cora then he would lose out on that 2027 money so that salary would have to be factored into whatever you spend to bring him to the Mets. 

Some figure that current Mets coach Kai Correa will become a major league manager at some point in his future career.  The question is whether or not now is too soon for that to happen after the Mendoza implosion.  Correa started off working with the Cleveland Guardians in a variety of coaching roles and came back to be in charge of the infield there in 2018 after a segment of work at a university.  He then shifted to the San Francisco Giants where he was the infield instructor and third base coach, dubbed as interim manager for the final three games of the 2023 season.  During the 2024 season he returned to Cleveland to be their major league field coordinator who was put in charge of defense, baserunning and strategic game strategy.  His experience at the helm is just that trio of post-Gabe Kapler games.

Another green choice with limited experience is former player and coach Ryan Flaherty.  Though highly regarded, his post playing days resume is fairly limited in relevant experience.  He started off as a development guy and advance scout for the Padres during 2019 and then became an interim manager when on-field skipper Bob Melvin was out with COVID 19.  He became a bench coach for the 2023 season and then moved onto the Cubs where he also served as a bench coach ironically replacing current interim manager Andy Green.

Current manager Andy Green started off his managerial career in the Pioneer and Southern Leagues where he had great success and won Manager of the Year for the latter stint in the latter back in 2013 and 2014.  He moved onto the Diamondbacks for a year as third base coach prior to migrating to San Diego for his first major league management job in 2016.  He remained there until late 2019 when he was fired and he next showed up with the Cubs to be third base coach for manager David Ross.  When Craig Counsell arrived Green resigned and eventually joined up with the Mets to work behind the scenes.  His managerial record is not good at all.

After his playing career ended, Brandon Hyde served in a variety of coaching positions as bench coach and on the corners for the Marlins and Cubs.  The Mets tried unsuccessfully to hire him in 2018 to be a coach and he continued his journey until 2018 when the Baltimore Orioles gave him his first major league managing role.  During his first three years he kept Baltimore in the cellar before finally getting above .500 in 2022.  In 2023 he hit the 101 win mark for the Orioles and he continued in that role for the following year when he was named the AL Manager of the Year, but was cut loose early in 2025 when he got off to another miserable start.  His career record is under .500.

After an unspectacular playing career ended George Lombard Sr. worked in the lower minor leagues as a hitting instructor and manager.  He advanced up to a variety of roles helping coach outfielders and baserunning for Boston.  He then moved to the Dodgers to continue shepherding young ballplayers in their minor league system before being promoted to the big club for the 2016 through 2020 seasons.  He then moved onto the Detroit Tigers to be a bench coach where he still currently works. 

Another fringer player, Omar Lopez left playing ball to return to his native Venezuela to become a coach.  He worked there from 1999 through 2007 as a hitting and infield coach as well as a scout (during which time he advocated drafting Jose Altuve).  From 2008 to 2019 Lopez managed his way up the ladder for the Astros organization.  He spent two years managing the Venezuelan winter league before taking over for two years in AA for the Astros.  He won Manager of the Year in the Texas League.  He’s been a first base and bench coach for the Astros and continues to helm the Venezuelan WBC team.  He might be a nice get since he’s with one of the smarter organizations in the game. 

One of the less well known candidates is coach Jake McKinley.  David Stearns knew him from their previous relationship together in Milwaukee.  He then left professional baseball to become a head coach at the University of Nevada.  The Mariners then brought him back to the pros as a major league field coordinator.  He does not have any professional experience as a manager but a preexisting relationship with Stearns and a low cost figure could theoretically entice him onto the interview list.  He wouldn’t be anyone’s stop choice. 

Another Stearns crony is coach Walker McKinven currently serving as a bench coach for the White Sox.  He has no real managerial experience and his name came as a big surprise from the many scouring the possible answers to the Mets’ “Help Wanted” sign for their managerial vacancy.  He worked with the Brewers as an associate coach for catching, pitching and strategy.  He doesn’t seem to have enough on his post playing days resume to suggest he is in the top tier of candidates.

While everyone knows Albert Pujols from his playing days, considering him as a prospective Mets manager is a bit puzzling.  He does have some limited managerial experience in the Dominican Republic for Leones del Escogido for 2024 and 2025.  He was replaced for 2025/2026 but shifted over to Estrellas Orientales for the 2026/2027 season.  It’s not a deep resume as a manager but no one can dispute his long career in the majors.  His sheer presence would take a lot of pressure off the club for bringing in a Hall of Fame caliber player to take the helm but with so little experience it is not unlike the Carlos Beltran idea but without the Mets historical affiliation. 

Former catcher David Ross was holding the Cubs lineup pencil for four seasons during which he finished in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th, compiling a losing record of 262-284.  He is highly respected in the game and has had big city experience in Chicago.  However, his track record is middling and while he has 4 seasons at the helm he’s not really been outstanding other than the COVID shortened 2020 season.  He’s already said he is open and hopeful that the Mets consider him a viable candidate. 

In 2022 David Stearns named former player Rickie Weeks as a member of his player development staff.  He then spent two years as an associate manager before shifting to a more front office type of role in both domestic and international scouting as well as baseball operations.  With no real managerial experience he would be another wildcard that would open up Stearns to even more media hostility for another decision that doesn’t seem well reasoned, but he was a star player with good name recognition.  

MACK - STRIKE NEWS - UPDATE

 

This came out on 7-1-2026 - 

The MLB Player's Union sent a proposal to the owers. 

Highlight's included - 

Expanding MLB active rosters from 26 to 28 (14 pitchers max) for the first 15 days of the season.

Allow for placement of players on the 60-day IL as early as the November non-tender deadline

Reduce the number of in-season optional assignments per player from five to three

Accelerate players' eligibility for the Rule 5 draft and move the Rule 5 draft up to late November in the final season of a CBA.

Provide MLB pay for players who are optioned in September

Provide an extra four days of MLB service time and salary for pitchers who are optioned to the minors within a week of the All-Star break or immediately after a game in which they went three-inning plus innings or threw at least 50 pitches

Enable all players to access club-collected non-proprietary performance date and video.

(overall, the proposal would increase roster size and protect pitchers from demotion for roster manipulation)

Tom Brennan: Remember This When Criticizing Your Pitchers; Martinez Says OH NO!

The Dark Knight, Matt Harvey, ate up pitchers who hit against him

 

There is one thing to remember when you’re criticizing Mets pitchers in 2026:

They are pitching to a DH. In every single game.

And that was a real factor as to why some guys, like a Jake deGrom, did as well as they did, pre-DH.

When Jake won his two Cy Young’s, he got to face pitchers at least a few times a game typically. And those pitchers hitting against Jake were about as automatic an out as you can possibly imagine.

Why imagine it? I looked it up. 

In Jake deGrom‘s two Cy Young years, pitchers facing him in the batter’s box had just seven hits in 96 at bats, with one walk and 68 strikeouts.

Chewed up. Spit out.

Regular hitters in those 2 Cy Young years, meanwhile, hit .210 against him.

Matt Harvey in his dominant 2013 season? 

Pitchers went 4 for 46, no walks, 24 Ks.

So, it is very clear that pitching against pitchers helped Jake and Matt, and others, further suppress opposing teams’ offense.

If, say, a David Peterson in 2026 got to pitch against pitchers like Jake did back in 2018 in 2019, maybe Peterson would’ve done much better this year as a Met.

Something to chew on. 

Cut your pitchers some slack. Not much, but some.

Not to second-guess our friend Ray Savage, but in February, he estimated this level of team offense:

PROJECTED 2026
Name	BA	HRS	RBI
Lindor	0.262	24	82
Soto	0.280	40	106
Bichette	0.310	26	110
Polanco	0.265	26	84
Alvarez	0.260	32	80
Robert	0.240	22	76
Baty	0.275	28	75
Vientos / Benge	0.250	28	95
Semien	0.238	16	52
Others	0.220	6	35
		248	795

Gaudy. 

I replied at the time, “I think some of the starters, other than Soto and Lindor and Bo, will be getting time off, so I think your “others” category is low and some of those listed are too high. It would be great if they scored 800 runs as a team though. That would definitely have us in the running for the playoffs.” So, I still thought high offense was possible, but more spread out, due to my anticipating there would be increased hitter IL time.

We both were clearly drinking from the same psychedelic brew at that time.

Next year, whatever level of Mets runs I estimate for the season myself, I will knock it down 100 runs, called “the Queens Reality Factor.”

After all, Steve Cohen most likely won’t do the sensible thing and move the fences in. So, they will flounder at the dish again.

Heck, next year, forget the 100 run haircut… I will simply see how many runs the bottom 3 teams scored in 2026, and use the average of those three teams as my 2027 estimate. 

After all, who’s kidding who? Won’t get fooled again.

JD MARTINEZ SAYS IT SIMPLY…

JD Martinez: 

"You talk about the toughest job, manager of the New York Mets is the toughest job in baseball right now.”

We have the second toughest job…rooting for these chronic under performers.

Me? I just resigned. I’m gonna kick back with Martinez and chill.

Tom Brennan: 1) Does Mets Minors System Contain Next AJ Ewing? 2) Mets Scoring.

Mitch Voit (as a Collegian) 

I have so often thrashed and bashed the Mets drafting. 

Too often poor, with frankly lots of dumb choices.

They may really be starting to get me ready to change my tune, though.

Carson Benge and AJ Ewing both have been terrific recent draft choices.

Carson struggled over the first 3 weeks from opening day, but has been great since.

Ewing was called up on May 12, after tearing up the minors, and he has been terrific since arriving.

But the Mets so rarely connect on solid offensive draft choices. 

Can they do it again?

I think the answer is yes.

I think the latest YES answer is Mitch Voit.

Through June 29, as I’m writing this, Voit has played 80 minor league games, and stolen 46 out of 51 bases. WOW.

Very much like AJ Ewing in that regard

He has played almost entirely at second base and shortstop

He has been terrific defensively at both positions. 

Nothing like the fielding foibles of Vientos and Mauricio, who stunk at fielding early in their minors days, and never really seemed to get the knack for becoming at least average fielders. 

Based on the low level of errors this year by Voit, I think he might end up being a Gold Glove level infielder. Nice!

But, can he hit? The answer certainly seems to be…yes!

In June, through June 30, his slash line is .310/.440/.460.  

A .460 slug % in Brooklyn? Golden.

And the thing that I love? In June, through June 29, he had fanned just 11 times in over 90 plate appearances.  That is an absolutely terrific ratio.

Despite only having played 80 pro games through June 29, I see no reason at this point why he cannot be in the Mets lineup by May 12, 2027. Which will then be the one year anniversary of AJ Ewing‘s debut.

All he has to do is stay healthy, play every game, and hopefully get assigned to the Arizona Fall League. I think he certainly deserves to be promoted to AA immediately after the All-Star break. 

I hope they move Mitch up as quickly as they did Carson and AJ Ewing. To have three exciting young fast players in the Mets lineup would be a real thrill.

Mitch does not turn 22 until the end of September. He is listed at 6’0”, 200, so he has great middle infield baseball player size. 

Keep up the great work, Mitch.

I think the fans are going to love you as much as they love Carson and AJ Ewing.

 METS’ TEAM SCORING QUESTION

Yes or no?  Are the Mets last in runs scored per game?  

The answer:

Yes.

Through Friday:

They are 28th in numerical scoring, but had played one and two games more than the teams immediately trailing them.

On a runs per game basis, the Mets are in a 3 way virtual tie for last place.

Remember that when reading my other article today about Mets pitching.

The Braves meanwhile are 10th in scoring. 

I wonder, if you took all the Mets hitters and traded them wholesale in February to Atlanta, a more positive city to play with better pitching, if the Mets-turned-Braves hitters would relax, smile, and be 10th in scoring rather than tied for last? 

Is it something about the Flushing swamp that induces failure? 

I ask this SERIOUSLY.

BUT they are working on consistency. 

In each of the last 2 games, a) 3 runs, b) 10 hits, and c) lost ballgames.