Browsing: Mets

The Mets may already be in offseason mode, but two of their young talents have been able to carry their strong minor league seasons into the early days of the Arizona Fall League.

Nick Morabito and Chris Suero have been two of the top performers thus far for the Scottsdale Scorpions.

Morabito slotted right back into the leadoff spot for the squad on Sunday night and he made an immediate impact, starting the bottom of the first with a second pitch single up the middle.

The speedster would steal both second and third, and scored the games opening run on a throwing error.

He would reach base twice during the 12-run bottom of the second, drawing a walk and scoring on an RBI double, then lining his second single of the game right back up the middle when his turn came back around.

The game was called early after the ballpark was evacuated for a fire alarm going off, so Morabito finished the night 2-for-4 to bring his average to a stellar .391 through six AFL games.

He also has a double, triple, six stolen bases (in seven attempts), and a 1.039 OPS to this point.

The 22-year-old has established himself as one of the up-and-coming outfield prospects in the system, hitting .273 with an incredible 49 stolen bases (60 attempts) and a .348 on-base percentage in Binghamton this year.

Suero received the night off on Sunday, but he’s been swinging a good bat early in the Fall League, as well.

The Bronx-native has kept his power-stroke going, hitting a double and two homers over his first five games. He also has two steals and continues to show his versatility, seeing time at all three of his positions (C, 1B, LF).

Like Morabito, Suero enjoyed a bit of a breakout campaign this year, reaching Double-A at just 21 years old.

He finished with 16 homers, 35 stolen bases, 68 RBI, and a .379 OBP between Binghamton and Brooklyn.

The two are ranked back-to-back (15th and 16th) on Joe DeMayo’s midseason Top-30 list.

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It’s complicated.

That’s one of two consensus opinions I found in speaking with six scouts/executives from different teams about the Tarik Skubaltrade speculation that has become the talk of the baseball industry over the last 48 hours.

At least it was the talk before Shohei Ohtani’s sublime performance late Friday night, but in a way, the stories are connected, especially for a team like the Mets, who need someone like Skubal to have a chance at competing with the Los Angeles Dodgers for baseball supremacy in 2026 and beyond.

More on that to come. For now, the larger point, as the scout/execs point out, is that the Detroit Tigers are in a very difficult position. They would be risking the wrath of their championship-starved fan base if they trade Skubal, arguably the best pitcher in baseball, after reaching the postseason the last two years, yet they’d almost certainly lose him to free agency a year from now if they choose not to trade him.

“That’s why it’s hard to predict which way this thing will go,” said an executive from a mid-market NL team. “In a vacuum, it’s a no-brainer, unfortunately, considering Skubal is a (Scott) Borasguy and all that. You make the best trade you can and move on. But in the real world, that’s a tough sell when you haven’t won in 40 years.”

It’s 41 years, actually, since the Tigers won the World Series in 1984. And there is another layer to their conundrum.

For years, the late Mike Ilitch, the Tigers’ owner, operated with one of the higher payrolls in baseball while trying to win another title, spending big in free agency and once locking up Justin Verlander to a seven-year, $180 million extension that at the time was the highest in the game. But Ilitch died in 2017 and his son, Christopher, has run a more budget-conscious operation since taking over.

“It’s kind of like Hal(Steinbrenner) taking over after George died,” said one midwest-based scout. “The fans there long for the days when they felt like Mike Ilitch would spend whatever it took to try to win. The son is not very popular as it is. Trading Skubal would make him persona non grata in Detroit.”

In short, this isn’t Garrett Crochet, who was traded for prospects last winter by the rebuilding Chicago White Sox, or even Corbin Burnes, traded by the small-market Milwaukee Brewers from a team that had enough pitching depth to continue winning.

Skubal is far more essential than that to the Tigers and the city of Detroit.

Oct 5, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) pitches against the Seattle Mariners in the seventh inning during game two of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at T-Mobile Park
Oct 5, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) pitches against the Seattle Mariners in the seventh inning during game two of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at T-Mobile Park / Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Still, the same scouts and execs don’t rule out a trade. For it to happen, however, it would take a more attractive package than either Crochet or Burnes brought back.

Which leads to the second consensus opinion that emerged from my various conversations: That is, no team is more motivated or well-positioned than the Mets to make such a trade happen.

“I’d make them the favorite to get Skubal, no question, if the Tigers decide to trade him,” said an NL scout. “They have the pieces to get it done and they obviously have the need. Steve Cohen apologized to the fans for missing the postseason — what does that tell you? He’s going to want to make big-splash moves to change the narrative.”

To that point, SNY’s Andy Martino reported Friday the Mets are expected to be “involved” if Skubal is made available, and willing to “shake up their current position-player group” if it means acquiring a top pitcher.

So the question on the Mets’ end would be just how far they’re willing to go for a player they could lose to free agency after one season.

“Steve Cohen changes that equation,” said one team exec. “His money takes significant risk out of losing the player. And when you look at the Mets, as badly as they played down the stretch, they’re still talented enough that a pitcher like Skubal could be the difference-maker that gives them a chance to compete with the Dodgers and win it all next year.

“But I’d still expect them to draw a line somewhere as to how much they’d be willing to give up, knowing they could sign Skubal in a year without giving up assets.”

So what would it take? The scouts/execs all made the point that this has to be more than trading prospects, as the Tigers, even without Skubal, would go into next season trying to win, with the core of a team that had the best record in baseball until a September collapse.

“They would want players who could help them win next season, plus prospects too,” said a team exec. “They’re going to ask for (Nolan) McLean. He’s a guy you can sell to your fans as a rising star who can be another Skubal. You get him with some other pieces and maybe your fans can live with it.

“But if I’m the Mets, McLean is the one untouchable. The ceiling is too high and you have him under control for six years. Other than that, it’s finding the right combination of players on your major league roster and top prospects.”

Sep 18, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) pitches in the sixth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Comerica Park.
Sep 18, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) pitches in the sixth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Comerica Park. / Rick Osentoski – Imagn Images

Scouts identified catcher Francisco Alvarez, third baseman Brett Baty, and lefty starter David Peterson as possibilities the Tigers would want off the major league roster.

One suggested Clay Holmes as well.

The prospects in demand, other than McLean, figure to be pitchers Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong, infielder Jett Williams, first baseman Ryan Clifford, and outfielder Carson Benge.

“It has to be some combination of those players,” said a scout.

Two players sparked much debate among the scouts/execs: Alvarez and Benge.

“Other than pitching, Alvarez could be the key,” one exec said. “It depends how the Tigers’ scouts evaluate him. He showed some growth after the Mets sent him to Triple-A, but is he still a 30-home run guy as he was projected to be when he came up? As a catcher, that would make him a difference-maker and something to help justify the trade from a PR standpoint.

“If you’re the Mets, you have to make the same evaluation. Is it worth giving up a catcher who’s still young (Alvarez turns 24 in November)? I’d have a hard time doing that, on top of what else you’d have to put in the deal.”

Then there is Benge, the minor leaguer who could be the long-term answer to filling the Mets’ hole in center field. Scouts love him for his athleticism and advanced approach at the plate.

“He has a chance to be a .300 hitter with power who can play center field,” one scout said. “How many of those guys are there in the game these days? If I’m the Mets, I’m doing everything I can to keep him.

“You know you’re going to have to give up pitching, probably either Tong or Sproat, plus Peterson. And you can live with giving up Jett Williams. But Benge could be special offensively and he fills a big need for the Mets.”

The bottom line is the scouts/execs believe the two teams could find enough common ground on a trade package to make it work if the Tigers become committed to making a deal. But only two of the six people I spoke to think the chances of it happening are more than 50-50.

The other four think it’s far more likely the Tigers will listen but ultimately decide that Skubal is worth more, even for one more season, than what the Mets or anyone else is offering.

“I just don’t think they’d want to deal with the uproar it would cause among their fans,” one exec said. “That’s a very real factor, especially when you haven’t won a championship in so long and the public perception is that Skubal gives them a chance next year.

“But I’ll say this: if the Mets are willing to go the extra mile, in terms of what they’d give up, they could make it awfully tempting for the Tigers to ignore all the outside noise and decide, let’s do it.”

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The New York Mets are remaking their major league staff after they fell short of a postseason berth, naming a new bench coach and lead hitting coach, sources told ESPN.

The Mets are hiring Kai Correa as their bench coach, sources confirmed to ESPN. Correa will be manager Carlos Mendoza’s right-hand man and comes to New York after a previous stint as bench coach and interim manager in San Francisco and serving as an integral part of Cleveland’s coaching staff since 2024.

Jeff Albert, the Mets’ director of hitter development, will serve as the team’s lead hitting coach in 2026 and be in uniform, sources told ESPN.

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While Albert’s title has not been defined, he was formerly the hitting coach of the St. Louis Cardinals. Albert, 44, joined the Mets in November 2022 and has worked in a development capacity, helping the team rebuild a system that has its strongest group of hitting prospects in years.

Albert also spent six years with the Houston Astros, where he worked with Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns. The Mets plan to bring in another coach to complement Albert, sources said, after they fired hitting coaches Jeremy Barnes and Eric Chavez as part of a staff revamp that also included the departures of pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, bench coach John Gibbons, third-base coach Mike Sarbaugh and catching coach Glenn Sherlock.

Following a 45-24 start, the Mets cratered over the season’s final 3½ months and finished 83-79, losing a tiebreaker with the Cincinnati Reds for the final National League wild card spot.

The Mets’ offense finished 10th in Major League Baseball in runs scored and returns most of their core, including outfielder Juan Soto, shortstop Francisco Lindor and outfielder Brandon Nimmo. First baseman Pete Alonso said he plans to opt out of his contract and will become a free agent for the second consecutive season.

News of Correa’s hiring was first reported by Pat Ragazzo.

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As the Mets head into a critical offseason, they will certainly need to be aggressive in pursuing veteran players — via free agency or trade — across the roster.

One thing that must remain a constant is the need to infuse young, quality players into the mix on a yearly basis. Some years will yield more than others, but the sign of a functioning player development system is avoiding multi-year gaps in generating young talent for the big league roster.

The 2025 season was mostly about pitching, with Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproatand Jonah Tong being the most notable prospects to make their big league debuts. On the position player side, no young players debuted, but the Mets did get larger sample sizes of Francisco Alvarez, Brett Baty, and Mark Vientos.

As David Stearns begins shaping the 2026 roster, he’ll have to strike a careful balance: leaving open opportunities for top-end young prospects to break through, while also ensuring the team is built to win from Opening Day on.

Two positions in the lineup stand out as key areas for improvement: second base and center field.

The Mets’ top two hitting prospects — infielder/center fielder Jett Williams and outfielder Carson Benge — both finished the year at Triple-A and were recently ranked among MLB Pipeline’s top 30 prospects in the sport.

Williams had a bounce back season after missing most of 2024 due to wrist surgery, posting an .828 OPS with 34 doubles, seven triples, 17 home runs, and 34 stolen bases over 130 games split between Double-A and Triple-A. He played all three up-the-middle positions defensively (shortstop, second base, and center field), with evaluators I speak to liking him best at second base.

Benge, the Mets’ first-round pick in 2024 out of Oklahoma State, had a breakout first professional season. He torched High-A and Double-A pitching, posting a .926 OPS with 24 doubles, six triples, and 12 home runs in 92 games. After a promotion to Triple-A, he suffered a wrist injury that sidelined him for nearly two weeks. While his overall stat line at that level wasn’t eye-popping, he finished strong with a 1.132 OPS and two home runs in his last seven games of the season with Syracuse.

Defensively, Benge was a right fielder in college but played more center field as the 2025 season progressed. The Mets were impressed with how his reads and reactions improved as he got more reps. He may never be a Gold Glover out there, but there’s real belief that he can handle center field at the next level thanks to his athleticism and plus throwing arm.

While Williams and Benge are getting close (I project both to make their big league debuts in 2026), it should be considered highly unlikely that either will be ready to claim a starting role on Opening Day.

This is where that balance comes into play.

David Stearns
David Stearns / USA TODAY Sports/SNY Treated Image

I believe Tyrone Tayloris a winning player, but he profiles best as a fourth outfielder on a contending team. The Mets should be looking into an everyday type of center fielder, ideally on a short-term deal, who can also help shore up their run prevention.

Free agency offers limited options.

A reunion with Harrison Baderis possible, or the Mets could look across town at Trent Grisham.Grisham’s Yankee teammate Cody Bellinger posted -1 outs above average in center field in 2025. He likely fits better in a corner spot and is expected to land a long-term deal.

On the trade market, the Mets could again investigate Luis Robert Jr. of the White Sox, who is owed $20 million in 2026 (assuming Chicago picks up his option), and there is a club option for the same amount in 2027. He was playing better leading up to the trade deadline when the Sox surprisingly kept him, and he is a plus defensively.

Second base presents a more convoluted scenario. The Mets don’t necessarily have to look externally. Brett Baty showed versatility in handling second base, and there are also young options like Luisangel Acuña and Ronny Mauricio. That said, there are legitimate questions about whether Acuña’s bat fits for an everyday role, and it’s unclear whether Mauricio can sustain second base defensively over a full season.

Jeff McNeilremains the incumbent. He had an above-average offensive year in 2025 and graded out at +4 outs above average defensively at second base. He is owed $15.75 million in 2026, with a club option for the same in 2027.

However, as the Mets look to shake up their position player group, McNeil stands out as a potential trade candidate. It may require the Mets eating some salary, but he could be flipped for pitching help, and they could then explore adding a second baseman.

Free agency presents a few intriguing options. Alex Bregman would be a bold acquisition. He’s a proven winner, an elite clubhouse presence, and can play either second or third base. Signing him would represent a significant shakeup to the core of the roster. Bregman is expected to seek at least a four-year deal this winter.

Ha-Seong Kim, who has a $16 million player option for 2026, would be an excellent defensive and athletic fit if he hits the market. He would also bring 20–30 stolen base potential to a team that could use more athleticism. Luis Rengifo,while coming off a down offensive year, graded out at +4 OAA at second base. He brings similar versatility to McNeil.

On the trade market, Brandon Loweof the Rays is a name to watch. According to SNY’s Andy Martino, the Mets have discussed him in the past. He’s owed $11.5 million on a club option in 2026 before hitting free agency. Lowe hit 31 home runs in 2025, but his defense has been a mixed bag over the last couple years. In He ranked last among second basemen in outs above average at -13 this past season. The question here would be if he would help the run prevention enough, or if he would be looked at more as a designated hitter who can play second base.

At his end-of-season news conference, Stearns noted when asked about position players like Benge and Williams: “I think incorporating young players into the mix is part of winning, and part of winning consistently. We can’t shy away from doing that.”

Benge and Williams have a chance to soon become key members of the core of this Mets offense. The key will be for the Mets to more than adequately cover themselves at center field and second base, so they get performance both offensively and defensively until the young reinforcements are ready to make an impact. That time is coming, and is among the reasons for excitement heading into 2026.

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NEW YORK — After missing the playoffs despite the most expensive opening-day roster in baseball, the New York Mets are starting a large staff overhaul.

While manager Carlos Mendoza will return, the team is moving on from pitching coach Jeremy Hefner. Hitting coaches Jeremy Barnes and Eric Chavez and third base coach Mike Sarbaugh also won’t return, the team said Friday. Bench coach John Gibbons resigned, and catching coach Glenn Sherlock is retiring.

Hefner is being replaced despite some notable success stories, including David Peterson and Sean Manaea.

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Peterson was a 10-game winner in 2024 with a career-best 2.90 ERA. Manaea tied his career best with 12 wins last year and a 3.47 ERA. But that number ballooned to 5.64 in 15 appearances this year, including 12 starts.

Pitching and defense were the biggest problems for a team that went 38-55 over the final 93 games after being an MLB-best 45-24 in June. The offense wasn’t free of blame after the offseason signing of Juan Soto to a $765 million, 15-year deal. The megadeal put the cost for the Mets’ roster at $429 million in payroll and projected luxury tax.

When declaring this week that Mendoza would return, president of baseball operations David Stearns said the rest of the coaching staff would be evaluated.

Assistant pitching coach Desi Druschel and bullpen coach José Rosado have been given permission to speak to other teams. First base coach Antoan Richardson, strategy coach Danny Barnes and coaching assistant Rafael Fernandez have been invited back.

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NEW YORK — Following a difficult campaign that saw them miss the playoffs on the seasonâ€s final day, the Mets are significantly shaking up their coaching staff.

Hitting coaches Jeremy Barnes and Eric Chavez and pitching coach Jeremy Hefner are among those who will not return, the team announced. The Mets are also parting ways with bench coach John Gibbons and third-base coach Mike Sarbaugh, while catching instructor Glenn Sherlock is retiring.

Manager Carlos Mendoza, whom the Mets will bring back for the third and final guaranteed year of his contract in 2026, will enter that campaign with a markedly different cast around him.

“Itâ€s normal after any season to do a coaching staff evaluation,†president of baseball operations David Stearns said earlier this week. “When you come off of a disappointing season like this, itâ€s certainly going to be a little more intense.â€

Barnes, 38, had been part of the Mets†hitting program since 2022, after serving one year in a player development role. He became the clubâ€s hitting coach the following season and shared that job with Chavez the past two years. Before that, Chavez, 47, had served as the Mets†bench coach for one season under Buck Showalter.

Under Barnes and Chavez, the Mets finished fifth in the Majors in wRC+ (112), eighth in batting average with runners in scoring position (.260) and tied for ninth in runs per game (4.73).

Hefner, 39, spent six seasons in the organization. Originally hired by Brodie Van Wagenen to serve as Carlos Beltránâ€s pitching coach, Hefner survived multiple front-office and managerial changes to become the Mets†longest-tenured coach.

Last year, Hefner led a surprising Mets pitching staff to a 3.96 ERA, enjoying notable success with free agents Luis Severino and Sean Manaea while also helping establish the organizationâ€s high-tech pitching lab in Port St. Lucie, Fla. But the team took a slight step back this year due in part to a slew of injuries (Manaea, Kodai Senga, Griffin Canning, Tylor Megill, Frankie Montas and A.J. Minter were among those to miss significant time), producing a 4.03 ERA as a staff. That ranked 18th in the Majors.

Assistant pitching coach Desi Druschel and bullpen coach José Rosado have been given permission to speak to other teams, pending the Mets†selection of a new head pitching coach. Itâ€s unclear at this point if either will return.

Gibbons, 63, a former Mets player who later spent two stints managing the Blue Jays, had served as bench coach the past two seasons. His hire before the 2024 campaign was significant because it gave Mendoza, who at the time had no Major League managerial experience, a veteran hand in the dugout.

Sarbaugh, 57, spent two years as third-base coach following an 18-year run in the Guardians organization.

Sherlock, 65, had been the Mets†catching coach for the past four seasons, working closely with Francisco Alvarez and other Mets backstops. He previously served as a base coach for the Mets from 2017-19.

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Right after the Mets’ season ended, Edwin Diaz was asked about his opt-out. And he was not ready to declare publicly that he is exercising it.

“Not yet. I was waiting for the season to be over to go home, talk to my family — always I like to make decisions with my family,” Diaz said. “I want my family to feel comfortable, feel like part of my decision. Now I’m going home, I will start thinking about that and see what happens in the future.”

Diaz was also asked whether he would want to return to the Mets if he opts out.

“Yeah, of course,” he said. “I love this organization. They treat me really, really good. My family, everything. If I decide to opt out I would love to come back.”

While Diaz hasn’t stated his intentions just yet, it will be shocking if he doesn’t opt out of the final two years of the five-year, $102 million contract he signed after the 2022 season — when the Mets locked him up in November during their exclusive negotiating window.

Diaz, who will be entering his age-32 season in 2026, is coming off a year where he was one of the best and most dominant relievers in baseball. And it’s fair to believe that he’ll easily be able to exceed what’s left on his current deal in terms of both years and dollars.

So Diaz opting out is just a matter of time it seems.

When he does, should the Mets bring him back?

Apr 17, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Edwin Diaz (39) enters the field during the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citi Field.
Apr 17, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Edwin Diaz (39) enters the field during the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citi Field. / Vincent Carchietta – Imagn Images

WHY IT COULD MAKE SENSE TO LET DIAZ GO

With Tanner Scott prying a four-year $72 million dollar deal from the Dodgers last offseason and then responding by posting a 4.74 ERA and the worst strikeout rate of his career, those in Diaz’s camp can argue that someone of Diaz’s caliber deserves a five-or six-year contract worth in excess of $20 million annually.

But it’s hard to see Diaz getting that, given his age and the fact that the biggest deal ever given to a reliever in terms of present day value was to Josh Hader — and it’s difficult to envision a 32-year-old eclipsing that. Hader got a five-year, $95 million deal ahead of the 2024 season before his age-30 season. The deal Diaz signed after the 2022 season, while $7 million more than Hader’s, had a significant portion deferred.

Another thing to consider is that Diaz’s average fastball velocity has been slowly starting to tick down.

He averaged an outrageous 99.1 mph in 2022 in the season before he suffered the knee injury that kept him out for all of 2023.

When Diaz returned in 2024, his average fastball velocity was 97.5 mph. In 2025, it was 97.2 mph.

In a world where Diaz’s fastball starts to significantly dip, he could be especially hittable since his only other viable pitch is his slider.

It’s also fair to wonder how many lucrative, long-term contracts the Mets are comfortable having on the books.

With Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, and Brandon Nimmo all under contract through at least 2030, would New York be comfortable adding long deals to Diaz and potentially Pete Alonso to that group?

Sep 25, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Mets pitcher Edwin Díaz (39) gestures after getting the final out against the Chicago Cubs during the ninth inning at Wrigley Field.
Sep 25, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Mets pitcher Edwin Díaz (39) gestures after getting the final out against the Chicago Cubs during the ninth inning at Wrigley Field. / David Banks-Imagn Images

WHY IT COULD MAKE SENSE TO KEEP DIAZ

Now that I’m done grasping at straws trying to come up with reasons to let Diaz go…

Diaz has shown no real sign of slowing down, fresh off a season where he had a 1.63 ERA (2.28 FIP) and 0.87 WHIP with 98 strikeouts in 66.1 innings.

Since his forgettable 2019 debut season with New York, here’s what Diaz has done over his last five seasons:

270.1 innings pitched
2.36 ERA
0.97 WHIP
14.6 strikeouts per nine

The stuff (while the fastball velo is a bit down from its peak) remains filthy.

Diaz ranked in the 99th percentile this past season when it came to xERA, xBA, whiff percentage, and strikeout percentage. He was in the 89th percentile or better in fastball velocity, barrel percentage, and extension. His ground ball rate, chase percentage, and the average exit velocity against him all graded out well above average.

Batters hit .133 with a .200 slugging percentage against Diaz’s fastball in 2025, while hitting .179 with a .269 slugging percentage against his slider.

New York Mets pitcher Edwin Daz (39) reacts after the final out of the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.
New York Mets pitcher Edwin Daz (39) reacts after the final out of the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. / Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

In addition to what Diaz brings on the mound (and he’s been incredibly reliable, making 54 or more appearances each of the last four seasons), there are the intangibles.

Diaz has not only embraced New York, but has proved that he can thrive here.

He also has a serious desire to be a Met, which he showed while quickly re-signing following the 2022 campaign and with his comments after this season.

VERDICT

This should be the easiest decision the Mets make all offseason.

Beyond all the arguments in favor of Diaz is the fact that the Mets don’t have anyone in line to replace him.

New York’s bullpen for 2026 is basically Brooks Raley, A.J. Minter (who should be back healthy after missing most of this season due to a lat injury), and a whole bunch of question marks.

For a team that is going to enter next season with the expectation of contending for a World Series, finding a closer is of huge importance.

And they don’t have to go far for him.

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One MLB scout told SNY’s John Harper the New York Mets should respond to the potential departure of Pete Alonso by targeting Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber in free agency.

“Kyle Schwarber would solve a lot of their problems,” the scout told Harper about the Mets. “I don’t know if it’s possible, but if Steve Cohen wants to flex again this winter, he should pay whatever it would take to get Schwarber to leave the Phillies.”

Alonso, who posted a career-high .272 batting average and led the Mets with 126 RBI last season, has said he plans to opt out of the final year of his two-year, $54 million contract and test free agency this winter.

The news came after the Mets lost out on a postseason berth after being shut out last Sunday during a win-or-go-home season finale against the Miami Marlins.

Schwarber, who led MLB with a career-high 132 RBI while helping the Phillies secure the top of the NL East, is also set to hit free agency this winter.

While Schwarber prepares to join the Phillies when the postseason begins Saturday with an NLDS matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Mets will be contemplating what changes can be made to ensure the club won’t repeat this season’s collapse in 2026.

MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand wrote in August that Schwarber could receive as much as $400 million on his next deal.

Only teams unwilling or unable to pay that price, or clubs like the Los Angeles Dodgers or San Francisco Giants who already have players settled in the DH position, can be counted out of the running to pursue him in free agency.

Cohen showed last winter with his historic offer to Juan Soto that he is willing to spend on top players. Should Schwarber consider leaving Philadelphia after the Phillies wrap up the postseason, the Mets could consider adding him, with Alonso’s future uncertain.

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Mets pitching prospects Jonah Tong and Nolan McLean dazzled in the minor leagues during the 2025 season and were recognized for their performances at the third annual MiLB Awards Show on Monday night.

Tong, the No. 2 prospect in SNY’s midseason rankings, was named the 2025 Pitching Prospect of the Year and earned All-MiLB Prospect First Team honors after his dominant season with Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse.

The 22-year-old went 10-5 with a 1.43 ERA and 179 strikeouts over 113.2 IP combined across both levels. He was promoted to Triple-A in the middle of August and made two starts with Syracuse, tossing 11.2 scoreless innings with 17 strikeouts.

McLean, SNY’s No. 4 prospect, won the Breakout Player of the Year after flying up the rankings and impressing each time he took the mound.

In his first season as a full-time pitcher, the former two-way player owned a 2.45 ERA with 127 strikeouts in 113.2 IP and 21 appearances with Binghamton and Syracuse.

Both prospects earned promotions to the majors and gave Mets fans something to look forward to for years to come. The pitching duo, along with fellow top prospect Brandon Sproat, is expected to play a major role in 2026, which will mark their official rookie seasons.

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The New York Mets were left scratching their heads after missing the playoffs this season despite sporting the MLB’s top record (45-24) on June 12. New York went 38-55 from that point forward to finish 83-79, one game behind the Cincinnati Reds for the National League’s final wild card spot.

Despite the brutal second-half swoon, it doesn’t appear as if team members are angry at each other over how things finished, per one unnamed Mets player to Tim Britton and Will Sammon of The Athletic.

“There’s no ill will, animosity or finger-pointing,” the player said. “Everyone is committed to the same goal.”

The Mets still had a chance to make the playoffs on the season’s final day with a win over the Miami Marlins and a Cincinnati loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. The Reds lost 4-2, but the Mets fell 4-0 to the Marlins.

Ultimately, the Mets were left with far more questions than answers after a puzzling season. New York had great hope after a magical 2024 season that ended with the team taking the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers to six games in the National League Championship Series.

The Mets then added superstar Juan Soto on a 15-year, $765 million deal this offseason, and it was conceivable that New York could finally win the team’s first World Series since 1986.

However, this team lacked the magic from last year, when the Mets benefited from the magic of Grimace and “OMG” and overcame a brutal two-month start (24-35) to make the playoffs on the season’s final day.

“There was magic last year; you walked in the building on a day like today and you were expecting to win the game,” a Mets player told The Athletic on Sunday. “This year? I don’t know.”

The talent was clearly there this year, especially with Soto aboard and first baseman Pete Alonso enjoying a resurgent season (38 home runs, 126 RBI). The pitching staff showed great promise in the first half, but injuries and struggles in the second half doomed the team on the mound down the stretch.

“We were a better team, talent-wise, this year than we were last year,” a veteran Mets player told The Athletic. “Everyone will always compare this year versus last year. On paper, we are a much better team this year than we were last year, and I don’t think it’s necessarily close. It just didn’t work.”

Now the Mets go into this offseason with more questions than answers after a rough year. Chief among them is the status of Alonso, who told reporters that he will decline his 2026 player option and elect for free agency.

The Mets also have other potential key free agents, including closer Edwin Díaz.

The Mets’ offseason has now begun. First pitch in 2026 is scheduled for March 26 at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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