I had predicted a 90-win season for the Mets. Even with the departure of Pete Alonso, Edwin Diaz, Brandon Nimmo, and Jeff McNeil, the Mets, on paper, had enough talent to not only be competitive but have a fairly successful season.
But Mets history will tell you that injuries can ruin what should have been a winning season. It’s happened plenty of times before…seasons that looked like sure wins and even domination, turned into huge disappointments because of injuries to key players and underperforming by others. It happened back in 1972…and it happened 15 years later in 1987. Although those two teams both finished with winning records – the 1972 team finished with 83 wins, 10 games over .500 (in a strike-shortened season) and the ’87 club finished with 92 wins and a second place finish.
The top two players on the 2026 team – Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto – were out of the lineup for significant periods of time. And two players who were being relied upon, the newly acquired Luis Robert, Jr. and Jorge Polanco, were MIA for most of the season…Polanco giving his best imitation of Jed Lowry and Robert Jr. being sent packing at the deadline.
The season was frustrating in that the Mets were not very fun to watch. Because even if a team doesn’t win, they can be good, and they can be exciting – the 1971 team was probably the best team the Mets have ever fielded yet finished in third place. You were always guaranteed a great pitching duel with that team, and most of the Mets offense that season had their best years. It just so happened that they just couldn’t overcome the powerhouse Pittsburgh Pirates. But the bottom line is that you CAN fall short yet still be fun to watch. Brooklyn Dodgers fans know that better than anyone.
The truth is that with all of the numbskull moves made by David Stearns and his team of analytic sycophants, the team showed a lot of bright spots.
Carson Benge made the team out of spring training and showed skills on offense, defense, and the fundamentals that has been so lacking on this team. He was soon followed by A.J. Ewing who is still only 21 years old. Even Nick Morabito appears like he, too, belongs.
While people are still lamenting over the Harvey, Syndergaard, deGrom, Wheeler, and Matz failure, after having previously suffered through the debacle of Generation K years earlier, the emergence of Nolan McLean, Zac Thornton, Christian Scott, and Jonah Tong give reason for great optimism next season.
To steal an analogy from Ron Darling that he made at the end of the final game’s broadcast, “The best rookie class since 1984.” And it truly does appear that way…I don’t think he is wrong about that.
The Mets have some really nice, young, athletic pieces in place. Now hopefully those in power don’t muck it up.
