Michael Reed

Image courtesy of © Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images The New York Mets were clearly in a win-now position around the trade deadline last season, and David Stearns’ trade acquisitions were indicative of that. However, one year later, we can comfortably say his plan didn't work out. In the midst of another failed season by this organization, it feels right to look back at what went wrong last season, particularly the 2025 deadline from hell. The Mets needing starting pitching and not acquiring any was the beginning of the end for this team, and the four acquisitions they did make almost certainly made the team a lot worse. To start off the deadline, Stearns acquired Gregory Soto from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for pitching prospects Wellington Aracena and Cameron Foster. Soto was brought over to pitch against lefties; a simple enough task, right? Wrong. Soto’s ERA in September was a 7.94, not nearly good enough for the Mets, who were trying to make a playoff push. Soto was usually used as a set-up man for the team, and yet, in the eighth inning he managed a 4.94 ERA with a 1.48 WHIP. Since then, Soto signed in the offseason with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Soto currently manages a 3.30 xERA and 1.11 WHIP in 35 IP. Neither one of Aracena or Foster has cracked the Orioles' top 30 prospects yet, with the latter pitching six games this season in the majors (9.00 ERA). Next, Stearns traded three major-league-caliber players in Drew Gilbert, Jose Butto and Blade Tidwell to the San Francisco Giants for Tyler Rogers. In 27 innings pitched for the Mets, Rogers turned out all right. He pitched to a 2.30 ERA and was a useful arm in the bullpen. His strikeout rate did plummet from 20.2% with the Giants to 9.0% with the Mets, though. None of the outgoing players have fully broken out at the major-league level but they have been mostly solid. Tidwell is currently in Triple-A but did sport 3.00 ERA in the big leagues with a 136 ERA+. Butto was only able to pitch three games before heading to the 60-day IL. To begin the season, Drew Gilbert was an electric factory for the team but has since calmed down. Stearns intended to re-sign Rogers but he chose the Blue Jays this offseason, with whom he currently owns a 1.82 ERA. The Mets' biggest deadline splash was a trade for star closer Ryan Helsley, parting with top-10 prospect Jesus Baez, along with pitching prospects Nate Dohm and Frank Elissalt. When people talk about the 2025 deadline, the failure of Ryan Helsley will be the first thought in mind. In 22 games with the Mets, he mustered up a 7.20 ERA with 58 ERA+ and a 5.19 FIP. For most of his tenure in Queens, Helsley struggled with finding the strike zone and tipping pitches. His 100 mph fastball ended up being one of the worst in baseball, producing -15 Fastball Run Value. Jesus Baez is currently destroying Double-A pitching to the tune of a .353 average. Dohm is the Cardinals' No. 30 prospect but currently sports an 8.21 ERA in High-A. Elissalt is currently on the 60-day IL. Helsley signed with the Orioles at the beginning of the offseason on a two-year deal and, to the Mets' dismay, he has become a respectable closer again. Stearns’ final acquisition was trading for Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins, parting with prospects Anthony Nunez, Raimon Gomez, and Chandler Marsh. The Mets needed a true center fielder last season, as Jeff McNeil and Tyrone Taylor saw the lion share of at-bats there and neither hit well. However, Mullins struggled during his stint in New York, slashing just .182/.284/.281 in 42 appearances. Nunez has struggled recently but was dominant to start the year. Gomez sports a 27.00 ERA in eight games in A+ ball. Marsh owns a 4.40 ERA in High-A. Mullins, like the rest of these players, decided not to re-sign with the Mets and instead joined forces with the Tampa Bay Rays. He has not been great either this year, posting a career-low 74 wRC+. To put it plainly, the Mets missed the playoffs last year in part due to their atrocious deadline performance. A majority of the prospects are not panning out, none of the acquired players are still on the team, and the Mets are still struggling. Some might call this a lose-lose-lose situation. View full article

Image courtesy of © Kyle Ross-Imagn Images After a 12-game losing streak at the beginning of the season, the New York Mets have still been unable to dig themselves out of that hole, and questions about the upcoming trade deadline loom. The Mets have less than two months to better their record of 34-44, third-worst in the National League, lest they face a roster overhaul at the deadline. Similar to 2023, this roster has largely underachieved and David Stearns would not be shy to shed payroll and acquire players for the future like Billy Eppler did, especially with a 2027 lockout on the horizon. This is not a roster that have been around each other for years, so gutting the clubhouse will not be an issue here. If the Mets can not right the ship come August 3, there is a good chance most of these trade candidates will be moved. Ranking Mets Trade Chips We'll rank these players by group, starting with those who are almost certain to be gone if the Mets wind up as sellers. Will Be Traded SP Freddy Peralta Expiring Contract 2026 stats: 85.2 IP, 83 K, 4.83 ERA, 3.85 xERA Peralta was dealt to Queens for SP Brandon Sproat and IF Jett Williams during this past offseason. The results have not been stellar (his latest start, a 10-run blow-up against the Phillies, didn't help) but name value alone should get him moved for a decent prospect package. His 2025 season was the best version of himself to date, logging career highs in wins, innings pitched, and ERA+. Teams will look to get that version of Peralta into their rotation in hopes of a postseason run. Teams like the Cubs, Cardinals, White Sox, Rays and A’s will come calling for the 30-year-old All-Star. RP Brooks Raley Expiring Contract 2026 stats: 30 G, 2.00 ERA, 207 ERA+, 10.3 SO/9 Raley has been reliable and dominant for the Mets out of the bullpen this year. The ninth-year veteran has been largely reliable over his career, especially since arriving in New York prior to the 2023 season; in four years with the Mets, he has a 2.36 ERA with a 177 ERA+. Teams would love to bring in a veteran southpaw who is on a expiring, low-AAV deal to bolster their bullpen. RP Huascar Brazoban Under Contract Through 2029 2026 Stats: 32 G, 1.91 ERA, 216 ERA+, 0.956 WHIP Brazobán’s value could potentially be bigger than people may think. He has been largely reliable in his Mets tenure and is under contract until 2030. There is nothing more that teams love than controllable arms and if the price is right, the Mets could end up with a quality prospect or two in exchange for the 36-year-old right-hander. RP A.J. Minter Expiring Contract 2026 Stats: 9 G, 0.00 ERA, 7 K, 0 BB Minter’s season has just begun after recovering from a severe left lat tear that sidelined him for over a year. In eight innings so far, Minter has yet to give up an earned run. Like Raley, Minter’s track record over the years is good for him to be wanted at the deadline by southpaw-needy teams. Could Be Traded RP Luke Weaver Under Contract Through 2027 2026 stats: 30 G, 2.25 ERA, 184 ERA+, 33/8 K/BB Luke Weaver has not given up an earned run since April 30 — the phones will ringing for him. However, with another year on the books for Weaver with the Mets, they could just hold onto him and try to contend again next year. The right-hander has proven with both New York teams that the spotlight does not harm his talent, and you can be sure that David Stearns will take that into account come the deadline. Suitors will line up for Weaver, and it will be fascinating how Stearns handles his market. RP Devin Williams Under Contract Through 2028 2026 Stats: 27 G, 11 SV, 5.18 ERA, 14.1 SO9 Devin Williams has had a shaky season to say the least. He has had some streaks of dominant performances but has been largely unreliable for the Mets. A return to a smaller-market team would work wonders for Williams, but the Mets would have to eat some of his contract to get the return they would want. SP Clay Holmes Expiring Contract, 2027 Player Option 2026 Stats: 9 G, 2.39 ERA, 172 ERA+, 1.101 WHIP Holmes is currently recovering from a fractured right fibula but is scheduled to throw July 1 and could be in line to return to the Mets prior to the deadline. Holmes is under arguably one of the best contracts in baseball and is Stearns' best signing to date with how well he has performed. Should Holmes return to being healthy and dominant prior to the deadline, teams will flock to acquire him. View full article

Jonah TongElian PenaJonathan SantucciJack WenningerRyan CliffordJacob ReimerMitch VoitChris SueroNick MorabitoZach ThorntonWandy AsigenWill WatsonEli Serrano IIIRandy GuzmanRyan LambertDylan RossAntonio JimenezR.J. GordonJonathan PintaroMarco Vargas

Image courtesy of © Brad Penner-Imagn Images When asked what the New York Mets needed to improve upon this past offseason, president of baseball operations David Stearns said the same two words over and over again: run prevention. Little did he know that the moves he made prevented runs scored for his own team. Stearns' first move of the offseason came out of left field. as franchise favorite Brandon Nimmo was traded to the Texas Rangers for veteran Marcus Semien. The Mets saw second base as more of a need than the outfield and with hindsight, Carson Benge is proving them right. However, that does not mean Semien has been good. The veteran infielder was brought over for his Gold Glove defense, but Semien is currently the second worst defensive second basemen per outs above average. Combined with a measly 13th percentile defensive run value, he is certainly not what the Mets envisioned him to be. And, really, that move was a precursor to the entire offseason. You say that Stearns uses the Mets payroll in a rather unorthodox way; certain signings have made even the most diehard fans very spectacle to say the least. The Mets first major signing after losing franchise legends Brandon Nimmo, Edwin Diaz and Pete Alonso in consecutive days was the signing of Jorge Polanco. Polanco, who turns 33 this year, is a career second basemen and with mostly every other first base option available to the Mets -- including Munetaka Murakami, Cody Bellinger, Josh Naylor, Luis Arraez, Ryan O’Hearn and Willson Contreras -- the signing was a head-scratcher. The Mets also had prospect Ryan Clifford available for a potential call up. Nonetheless, the Mets committed 40 million dollars to Polanco over two years, and so far it has not panned out the way Stearns hoped. The 13-year veteran has had troubles staying on the field in the past and this season is no different. Polanco has only appeared in 14 games so far due to left Achilles bursitis and a right wrist contusion. In those games, he slashed .179/.246/.286. The best ability is availability, and Polanco has not shown that yet this season, especially since his long awaited rehab assignment was shut down due to ankle soreness. So far in his tenure with the Mets, Stearns has not been deterred by injury history and most of the time it does not go his way. That has been the story of Luis Robert Jr.'s season as well. Like Polanco, Robert has struggled staying on the field in his career with lower body injuries, only managing one fully healthy season. With Carson Benge making the roster on opening day and A.J. Ewing called up shortly after, it can be asked why the trade for Robert needed to happen in the first place. If Robert returns from his lumbar spine disc herniation injury in July, its hard to nail down who he would replace. The Mets are not sitting Juan Soto or Benge, while Ewing has proven to be a quality major leaguer (MJ Melendez has been good as well this season). The real move that deserves our consternation, though, was the big splash: A three-year, $126 million deal with Bo Bichette. Bichette was moved to third base to form a star duo with Francisco Lindor on the left side of the infield, and the deal was Stearns’ dream scenario with the short-term. high-AAV setup that he loves. There’s no way it would not work out right? Wrong. Through 65 games, the Mets have yet to see the Bo Bichette who hits around .300. He's hitting just .227 with a 72 wRC+ so far this season. Although the underlying stats show that Bichette might be getting unlucky, a player can only use that excuse for so long. Juan Soto started off last season getting very unlucky and had a scorching hot June to end the discussions. Bichette has yet to show Mets fans there is light on the end of the tunnel and if there isn’t, we could be seeing one of the worst contracts in Mets history being played out in front of our eyes. There is no question that if David Stearns wants to remain with the Mets, he needs to be better at evaluating players at the major-league level. If the Mets want to be second in payroll to the Dodgers year after year, fans expect a team that looks like the Dodgers, not a team that is firmly in last place in the NL East. View full article

Image courtesy of © John Jones-Imagn Images We are almost at the mid-point in the season, and the New York Mets are still trying to dig themselves out of the hole they created during their 12-game losing streak. Thus far in 2026, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong for the Mets, with star players being injured or not playing up to standards being the norm so far. Surprisingly, the Mets finished with a winning record of 16-12 in the month of May, but it was not pretty. From the high of beating the Yankees in a three-game series to the lows of being swept by the Marlins and Rockies, it was a turbulent stretch of baseball, to say the least. However, while others continued their trajectory from the beginning of the season, some have bounced back and are beginning to put together a nice 2026 campaign for themselves. Biggest Surprise: The Baby Mets At the beginning of the season, Carson Benge struggled to find his footing at the plate. Benge hit under the Mendoza line during the months of March and April and appeared well on his way to a trip back to Syracuse. Once May 1 hit, everything began to click. Since that day, Benge is slashing .306/.375/.426 for an .801 OPS. With a majority of his at-bats coming in the leadoff spot, Benge has put himself in scoring position for a scorching hot Juan Soto many times and it has worked out well so far. Likewise, A.J. Ewing has begun his rookie season in a very positive way so far. Ewing’s glove in center field is often on the receiving end of compliments from Keith Hernandez and deservingly so. On the batting side, Ewing is still finding his footing, but much faster than Benge did in the beginning of the season. Ewing hit .238 with an OPS of .650 in May, pairing that with 94th percentile sprint speed and above-average defense, Manager Carlos Mendoza will take that and continue putting him in the lineup every day. Also worth noting, Christian Scott had himself a strong month of May. In six starts, Scott produced a 2.79 ERA with a K:BB ratio of 37:11. Scott has only allowed one home run so far this season which is a positive as keeping the ball in the yard was a major issue for him in 2024. Scott ranks in the 85th percentile in strikeout rate at 28.1%, providing reason to hope that this isn't just a flukey breakout. Biggest Disappointment: Bo Bichette Simply put, the Mets are not getting their money’s worth so far with Bichette, and they could potentially get locked into one of the worst contracts in baseball if his play continues the way it is. In the month of May, Bichette slashed .207/.279/.297 with a .576 OPS. Since the beginning of the season, the Mets have only seen a few games of the Bo Bichette they went and signed to a three-year, $126 million dollar deal. While the defense has been better than fans thought, the bat has been much worse. Bichette currently sports a -11 batting run value, which is only in the second percentile among all of qualified hitters. One thing I have found fascinating about Bichette’s swing is his late load. His body motion and lead leg appear to be set later than most hitters. To the naked eye, it appears like Bichette only gets set in time to be late to the ball on most occasions. So, while his chase rate is high and whiff rate is low, most of that is due to being late to the ball and fouling pitches off. However, what Carlos Mendoza and hitting coach Jeff Albert can do to help Bichette is to let him know that the results will come. The advance stats show that right now Bichette is only one of the unluckiest hitters in baseball. Bichette’s expected batting average is .279, .060 higher than his current average. In due time, the results should come. Or, at least, the Mets have to hope they will, lest they find themselves unable to get back into the playoff picture. View full article

Image courtesy of © Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Without Tyrone Taylor and his heroic swing in the bottom of the ninth, the narrative of the game would have been one of continued defensive mishaps and disappointing at-bats with runs in scoring position. Luckily, the New York Mets don't have to live in that reality, as Taylor completely erased the New York Yankees' lead in the ninth inning of the rubber match of the Subway Series. To the naked eye, the at-bat was cut and dry; Taylor received a first-pitch curveball that deserved to be hit over the fence and then some. But there was some intuition and baseball IQ shown by Taylor before and during that at-bat that should get a lot of props. ckR3QXlfWGw0TUFRPT1fVlFSU1hWTlFYd29BRFFkWFZnQUhWVk5VQUZnTlZ3QUFCMUpXQlFWV0JWSlRDRlJm.mp4 In Taylor's at bat in the seventh inning, he hit a fastball at 104 mph straight to the left fielder Max Schuemann. Coming into his at-bat against a fastball-heavy closer in David Bednar, he knew there was a likelihood he would not get one on the first pitch. Bednar’s curveball is the pitch he uses the least and feels the least confident in. The pitch this season has a .412 batting average against. However, Bednar threw a curveball to the prior hitter Mark Vientos. So, with that knowledge, Taylor came up with a plan to anticipate on Bednar’s curveball on the first pitch and sure enough, it came. An 80 mph curveball hanging in the middle of the plate came and went 404 feet to left field. A questionable call from catcher Austin Wells to call his closer’s worst pitch in such a big moment. Taylor in one swing took a 6-3 Mets deficit to a tie game. Famously, the Mets had not won a game they were trailing after the eighth inning since 2024. Thanks to Taylor’s swing and Carson Benge’s walk off, that streak is now broken. View full article

Image courtesy of © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images On April 26, after being designated for assignment by the Marlins, Austin Slater signed with the New York Mets. Given the team's struggles at the time of his signing, it made all the sense in the world to bring in a veteran like Slater. For most of his 10 year career, his number one priority has been to hit well vs LHP. The only problem is, he has not done so since 2023. Before 2024, Slater had consistent playing time for the San Francisco Giants. With consistent appearances brought consistent numbers versus left-handed pitching. Since then, Slater has bounced around. In 2024, he was an Oriole and a Re; in 2025, he was with the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees. In his free agency, Slater was told he was the Sox's “top target” in their attempt to improve vs. southpaws. Since his departure from the Giants, Slater has struggled mightily with the platoon advantage. So far this season, in 38 at-bats vs LHP, Slater is batting .184 with 14 strikeouts. Slater has found most of his time this season in a platoon with MJ Melendez. When Manager Carlos Mendoza was asked why Slater would pinch hit for Melendez, who currently sports a 132 OPS+, Mendoza said, “he is here to hit lefties. obviously”. Some of the problems can be attributed to his struggles versus the fastball. When Slater was hitting well with the Giants, the fastball was the pitch he hit the best, consistently netting a +3 or above in run value. This season, his run value versus fastballs is a -3. As a team, the Mets rank 29th in fastball runs above average, hence why they hoped Slater would be able to help in that regard as well. Slater has also not shown much power at the plate. Within his nine hits this season, only one has been a true barrel. He has one extra-base hit on the season and yet to hit one out of the park. Slater’s hard-hit rate and slugging percentage are both near the bottom of the league as of the start of the Subway Series. To partner all of that with Slater never being a plus defender in the outfield, you start to question what value he brings to the roster. Barring a turnaround, it could be time for the Mets to take a look at Nick Morabito in Triple-A Syracuse, who currently sports a .333 batting average vs. left-handed pitching. For Slater to continue his time with the Mets, he'll have to rediscover a form that's seemingly been lost to time. View full article

Image courtesy of © Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images In the small (but scintillating) preview we got of Nolan McLean in 2025, we saw flashes of a future ace. We saw curveballs that have never curved quite so much, sinkers that sink at an alarming rate, and sweepers that defy the laws of physics. To nobody’s surprise, it is the same story so far in 2026. McLean currently sports a 99th percentile pitching run value. The breakdown on that: he's in the 98th percentile in fastball run value, 88th percentile in off-speed run value, and 78th percentile in run value. If that stat means little to you, just know that those numbers means that the rookie right-hander is among the best pitchers in the league at throwing every type of pitch. Not too shabby, huh? His 38 strikeouts is the seventh-most of all qualified pitchers. By all metrics, McLean can be considered at the forefront of the NL Rookie of the Year race. In the last 10 years, only four pitchers have won the award (Luis Gil and Paul Skenes in 2024, Devin Williams in 2020, and Michael Fulmer in 2026) but if there is ever a pitcher to run away with it, its McLean. McLean’s sinker is currently tied for second in pitch run value. The pitch only allows a .192 batting average and has generated a 25% strikeout rate. McLean’s sinker is his go-to pitch in terms of getting ahead and putting hitters away. The sinker produces a ridiculous 5.6 inches of induced vertical break, which is just comical for a sinker. For a pitch that starts outside and ends up at the stomach of a right-handed batter, it's about as effective as you'd expect. We still have yet to see the full breakout of McLean’s curveball. He throws that the least of his six offerings, though it's currently resulting in a .056 batting average. His Uncle Charlie famously spins as much as any single pitch in baseball, consistently registering between 3,300 and 3,450 RPMs. The difference between McLean right now and the Cy Young contender of the future is a more consistent attack pattern with his two big breakers. McLean’s only current metric that does not look absolutely bonkers is his chase rate, a measly 24.6% that only ranks in the 17th percentile. Of his 38 strikeouts, 13 were via a watched third strike. In that sense, you could argue that hitters aren't chasing outside the zone simply because they can’t pick up his pitches out of the hand. That's what's making Mason Miller so effective right now, and such a trait would be insanely potent with McLean's deep and powerful arsenal. His xERA (1.94) and xBA (.173) are both among the best expected figures of any starting pitcher. On a struggling New York Mets roster that's still working to climb out of a hole dug by that notorious 12-game losing streak, McLean is one of the few bright spots of the roster. His outings are starting to be anticipated by fans the way Jacob deGrom’s were during his run with the Mets. That's a bold comparison to be sure, but one McLean is inviting with his brilliance on the mound. View full article

Image courtesy of © Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images The way Francisco Alvarez is barreling the ball right now is something we have not seen from him since his debut in 2022, and it is as advertised. In 2023, Alvarez showed flashes of his 70 grade raw power that was bestowed upon him coming up in the Mets farm system, hitting 25 home runs with a .431 slugging percentage. But that was still the tip of the iceberg with Alvarez, the fanbase felt like Alvarez had more power in the tank. Since then, Alvarez has gone through constant injuries that has limited his full potential. So far this season, The Francisco Alvarez that was promised is on display, and he is as advertised. In 14 games played so far this season, Alvarez currently ranks in the 99th percentile in expected slug and barrel rate. His four home runs so far has shown the power that he knew was in there all along. to go with his incredible power so far, Alvarez also has a .312 xBA, light years above his previous seasons. The past two seasons, Mets fans have been dumbfounded as to where this consistent power went. Some of that blame could be passed onto former Mets hitting coach Eric Chavez, who had a much different plan to use Alvarez than any previous hitting coach Alvarez had. “Last year you hit 25 homers. Did you think it was a good year? Because I didn’t” Chavez said. Chavez believed Alvarez needed to focus less on pulling the ball and swinging for the fences and focus more on hitting consistently and using all sides of the field. Now all that sounds like decent advice, but when you see that Alvarez is at his best when he is swinging for the fence and pulling the ball, you then see where some of the Alvarez struggles came from. So far this season, Alvarez has a 45 percent pulled ball rate, and the results are not shocking to believe. With the way Alvarez is playing and the way the Mets are struggling to win games, it might be time for Manager Carlos Mendoza to move Alvarez up in the lineup. Alvarez has been used mostly in the 7th and 8th spots. In Saturday’s game against the A’s, Alvarez was moved up to the 6 spot. In that game, Alvarez went 2-4 with a 109 mph home run to center field. If Alvarez continues to hit the way he is right now, the cleanup spot might be calling his name. https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/sporty-videos?playId=a2d57a42-c4ca-31ca-88e6-a0b10657410c There are many reasons why the former #1 overall prospect in baseball has yet to fully break out. Whether it was hand injuries, bad slump, bad advice or the quality play of Luis Torrens behind him. Now that Alvarez is back to swinging for the fences and as help as ever, this could be a very scary year for pitching against Francisco Alvarez. View full article

Image courtesy of © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Earlier this week, the New York Mets announced that J.D. Martinez was being brought back as a special assistant to baseball operations, similar to the role Carlos Beltran has. Martinez was a crucial part of the Mets 2024 postseason run, not just as a player, but as a clubhouse leader. In particular, his veteran leadership that season appeared to really impact one player on the team: Mark Vientos. In 2024, Mark Vientos exploded onto the scene after he was called up in mid-May, making an enormous statement despite failing to make the Opening Day roster. He slashed .266/.322/.516 with 27 home runs that season and later set the Mets' postseason record in RBIs with 14. The two go way back, both being from the South Florida area and working out at the same facility over the offseason. When asked about Martinez’s impact on Vientos, manager Carlos Mendoza took the time to laud the now-retired slugger. It's never been a secret that their relationship was strong. Vientos told the New York Post that he always tried to relay information of the veteran when they played together: “Hey, J.D., what were your thoughts when you were my age, on this and that. I take what I think will work for me and leave what I don’t think will work for me and that is just how I go about asking questions.” In 2025, Martinez stepped away from baseball. With him gone and the ever dangerous “sophomore slump” looming, Vientos had sky high expectations and was unable to meet them. He registered -0.2 WAR in 121 games, slashing .233/.289/.413 with 17 home runs. Then, those struggles extended to this spring, when the 26-year-old recorded a .040 batting average. Vientos was also nonexistent in the World Baseball Classic, only recording two hits with Nicaragua being eliminated in the group stage. In the opening series of the season, Vientos only received one at-bat, coming off the bench in the 10th inning. However, with the entire offense rooted in a slump, he has been getting increased playing time in recent contests and has responded to the call, posting extra-base hits in back-to-back contests. For Vientos to fully resort back to his 2024 form, when he ranked in the 88th percentile in batting run value and 92nd percentile in barrel rate, bringing back a mentor like Martinez is as good a place to start as anywhere. View full article

Nolan McLeanCarson BengeA.J. EwingJonah TongRyan CliffordJacob ReimerJack WenningerElian PenaJonathan SantucciWill WatsonMitch VoitNick MorabitoWandy AsigenEli Serrano IIIRyan LambertChris SueroZach ThorntonAntonio JimenezDylan RossR.J. Gordon

Image courtesy of © Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images In the bottom of the 11th inning of the New York Mets' second game of the 2026 season, Luis Robert Jr. parked a Hunter Barco slider into the Fiesta Deck, scoring three runs and giving the Mets their second win of the season and Robert the second walk-off home run of his career. The center fielder's hot start probably hasn't gone on long enough to loudly proclaim that La Pantera is back, but that at-bat certainly has put him in the right direction. To see Robert take the nine-iron out of the bag and golf the ball out of the park at 104.6 MPH is certainly impressive to see, but the power has always been there for him. One could make the argument that his swing decision and pitch recognition are more impressive than the swing. In terms of swing decisions, the old version of Robert may very well have been down 0-1 in this scenario. In 2025, Robert swung at first pitches at a 47% clip, the seventh-most in the MLB. In this at-bat, Barco’s first pitch was a down-and-away changeup, a pitch Robert took for a ball. Robert recently flashed his improved discipline Opening Day when he worked a 10-pitch walk against Paul Skenes. That was the first sign that Robert’s maturity at the plate had begun to evolve. He's following what teammate Bo Bichette said the plan the whole team has this season: taking professional at bats. Barco was very slider-heavy in his outing, throwing the pitch 11 out of 24 times. After the first pitch take of the changeup, it was clear Robert was hunting that slider, and he got what he wanted. In 2025, Robert posted a .216 batting average against sliders, a pitch he saw 16% of the time last season. So far in 2026, Robert is sporting a .667 batting average against the slider. It was encouraging to see that Robert identified the pitch out of the hand and got the barrel to it. Saturday’s game also featured a walk from Robert, who currently sports a 20% walk rate in 2026. In 2025, he only managed a 9.3% walk rate, so it's clear his refined plate approach is spreading to all aspects of his game. But the people that celebrated when the Mets traded for Robert signed up for his raw power, and that was shown on display in that swing. Robert went 2-for-4 on Opening Day, but he didn't flash the upper-echelon pop his game was once known for. Thus, it's rather encouraging that his walk-off home run featured elite exit velocity (104.6 mph) and launch angle (23°). Now, Robert got the pitch he wanted but not exactly where he wanted it. The quadrant of the strike zone that Barco hung that slider in does not normally generate a ton of aggressiveness from Robert, as he swings at pitches down there a measly 34% of the time. Now, with a new plan to attack rather than react, Robert swung at the first slider he saw, and it just so happened that he ended the game with one swing. Robert also has a lot less pressure on him in this lineup. With Brett Baty behind him if needed, and Marcus Semien and Carson Benge after that, hero ball was not needed. The result says otherwise, but the process behind the plate approach is what is most worth salivating over. While not quite the swing of his life, Robert has set a high bar for himself in New York. From increased pitch recognition to better swing selections, a redux of that magical 2023 season isn't out of the question. He has all the tools to help this team, and all that home run did was accelerate his path back to stardom. View full article

Image courtesy of © Sam Navarro-Imagn Images As confirmed by New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, Carson Benge not only made the roster, but he also will be the starting right fielder against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Opening Day. The Mets are placing a lot of trust in the 23-year-old rookie to hold down the right field spot for the 2026 season, especially after it was announced that offseason signee Mike Tauchman will undergo surgery following a meniscus tear. Benge now has the job security and all the tools to put together a strong rookie season in 2026. The only question is how good (or bad) could this season be for him? Carson Benge's Optimistic 2026 Outlook It is not crazy to say that Benge has one of the best foundations a rookie could have: plus defender, 60-grade arm, and a 60-grade hit tool. He has the potential to be a five-tool player in this league. In the spring, Benge slashed .366/.435/.439 with a .874 OPS in 46 plate appearances. According to Prospect Savant, in the minor leagues last year Benge had a 94th percentile xSLG, 94th percentile barrel rate, and he finished in the 92nd percentile in spring speed. In the best-case scenario, you are looking at a potential Gold Glove candidate who can finish with a 20 homers and 20 steals. In said scenario, Mendoza would have flexibility to bat Benge anywhere in the lineup. The top prospect certainly has proven in the minors and spring training that his hit tool is consistent enough to produce in the majors. This spring, Benge had a 140 WRC+. In the minors last season, Benge produced a 150 WRC+ in 116 games across A+, AA and AAA. He has positively affected every team he has been on, consistently getting on base, playing good defense and not striking out. It's the profile of a mature veteran, one which will hopefully translate right away. Carson Benge's Pessimistic Outlook There are three potential flaws that could sink his rookie campaign.. The first being that he has proven to be a slow adjuster. Through his first five games in Double-A, he went 3-21 for a .142 batting average. Likewise, his promotion to Triple-A did not end up going well for him. For the Syracuse Mets, he slashed .178/.272/.311 in 103 plate appearances. For Benge to be the five-tool player he is believed to be, he would need to produce power, something which has been inconsistent throughout his professional career. He had one lone home run this spring, and in 519 plate appearances in the minors last year, he produced 15 home runs. While his hard-hit rates are high, he has been unable to get under the ball enough to put balls over the fence. According to Prospect Savant, Benge had a 73rd percentile Max Exit Velocity and a 31st percentile Pull Air %. There's clearly some untapped potential in that department. My last point, and the common question the Mets community has about Benge, is his habit of hitting on top of the ball. Benge posted a 70% groundball rate this spring after sitting at 42% last year. In conjunction with the discussion about power, there's clearly an evolution that needs to take place in his contact profile. If there's no evolution on that front, though, is his current form sustainable? Now that is a major question and definitely something to follow this season. We see Luis Arraez consistently have 40% or higher groundball rates and he wins batting titles. We have also seen Brett Baty really struggle with getting on top of the ball and rolling over for outs, a problem Baty (mostly) fixed last season. Benge’s main criticism across advanced metrics sites has been that while he can be a five-tool player, none of his tools are great. However, to have five good tools is really impressive. You can count on four of them right out of the gate: speed, fielding, arm strength, and hitting for average. That fifth tool, hitting for power, could make or break whether we get best-case scenario Carson Benge, or the worst case. View full article