The Mets entered the season with high expectations, particularly because of their mega $359 million payroll, the second-highest in baseball. Instead, barring one of the greatest turnarounds in baseball history, the Mets will miss the postseason for a second straight season, marking it the fourth time in six seasons of the Steve Cohen era.
Contrary to popular belief, the Mets have turned their disastrous season into a form of hope, going 11-4 since the trade deadline, the second-best stretch in all of baseball. The positive play has come without superstar outfielder Juan Soto, who’s currently battling a calf injury. The promising play has proven one thing: the Mets have a foundation to look forward to, one that could even turn them into a contender as soon as 2027.
Battling the New York pressure
On Wednesday, Cohen broke his media silence, making his first comments since July 1, when he spoke to New York Post reporters Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman.
“I think there’s a lot to look forward to here,” said Cohen when speaking to the media before Wednesday’s contest against the Padres. “I see the foundation of something that, I think, we can get behind.”
The foundation is there for the Mets, featuring several stars and rookies who’ve already grown into fan favorites, proving they can handle the pressure of playing in New York. Off-season acquisition Bo Bichette is finally beginning to settle in, bringing his season BA up to .268, along with a .704 OPS.
“It’s not easy to come to New York with a big media presence and lots of eyes on you,” said Cohen. “It’s not easy to change teams in general.”
The adjustment to the land of opportunities has seemingly set in for the former Blue Jay, but the same can’t be said for the rest of their offseason acquisitions. Freddy Peralta was traded out of Queens at the trade deadline, being sent to the Rays after a miserable stint with the Mets, where he held a 4.99 ERA in 22 starts. Respected veteran Jorge Polanco has battled an Achilles injury all season, with the 33-year-old now out for the remainder of the season after being placed on the IL hours before their series finale against the Padres. When healthy, Polanco has been one of the league’s least valuable players, even with 37 games under his belt, posting a -1.4 WAR, tied for the lowest in baseball, and batting .148 with a .431 OPS.
Many players have opened up to the trials and tribulations of playing in New York, but it’s even more impressive when the young guys can produce at a consistent level.
The Mets’ future
In 2026, the Mets’ rookies hit the ground running. Carson Benge has slotted himself in the NL Rookie of the Year race thanks to a strong season at the plate, along with a ridiculous season in the outfield, where he’s flashed one of the strongest arms in baseball, showcasing it on Monday, when he threw out two Padres players at the plate in the first inning alone.
“There’s always a preference with homegrown players who come up with control,” said Cohen when asked about the Mets’ rookies making an immediate impact. “We’re not going to throw players out there who don’t belong on the field; it’s a player-by-player analysis. Part of my goal is to build a sustainable farm system that can produce players who impact the major league team.”
Throughout the season, the Mets’ farm system was portrayed as taking a major step back, with just one player in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100, down from six before the 2026 season. Benge, A.J. Ewing, and Nolan McLean graduated after making their debuts, while the Mets moved Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams to the Brewers in a trade to bolster their rotation, leaving their system bare. At the trade deadline, however, the Mets would make eight trades, acquiring nine prospects in return who’d rank in their updated top-30 prospect list, including former Cub Jefferson Rojas, who now serves as the organization’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 76 prospect in all of baseball.
”When you look and see the value we got back, there are lots of different types of players, which is kind of fun,” said Cohen on the Mets trade deadline. “It’s a great infusion of young talent in our system, and I’m hoping that works out.”
While the jokes may write themselves right now, Mets fans have a lot to look forward to in the future. Francisco Lindor will stay put; Soto will be here for the next decade; Benge, Ewing, and McLean have the chance to become household names; reinforcements linger throughout the farm system. Baseball will once again be relevant in Queens.
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