Yes, the New York Mets have a lot to be happy about after their surprising success this season. All those positive feelings are well-deserved.
Now, here’s the tough truth: Pete Alonso’s uncertain future is just one of many priorities this winter.
New York will likely need to replace around a dozen free agents, including Alonso, once they decide on contract options. The pitching staff is especially lacking at the moment.
“We might look extremely different,” said star shortstop Francisco Lindor.
The good news is that the Mets have a wealthy owner, a strong core of players with playoff experience, and possibly over $100 million coming off their payroll as they look to build on their unexpected run to the National League Championship Series.
“We have everybody we need to make this work and finish the job,” outfielder Brandon Nimmo said.
What was expected to be a transition season under rookie manager Carlos Mendoza and first-year president of baseball operations David Stearns, focusing on 2025, turned into an exciting October journey that ended Sunday just two wins short of the World Series after a Game 6 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
New York achieved a series of thrilling comebacks under pressure and hit many key home runs, creating lasting memories.
“We became a family. And now we raised the bar,” Mendoza said in Los Angeles. “Expectations now, this is what we should strive for every year, to be playing deep into October.”
To achieve that, owner Steve Cohen needs to address gaps in the team.
They begin with Alonso, the fan-favorite first baseman who was drafted by the Mets in 2016. He already ranks third on the franchise list with 226 career home runs in six major league seasons, including one season shortened by the pandemic.
The four-time All-Star played all 175 games for New York this year and made an impact in October, hitting two three-run homers to help win elimination games. He finished the postseason with four home runs, 10 RBIs, and a .999 OPS.
“I want more moments like this,” Alonso said. “I’m really proud of what I was able to accomplish here. I feel like I laid it out there every day.”
Alonso, who will turn 30 in December, is represented by agent Scott Boras, known for exploring the market with high-profile clients.
It’s hard to predict what kind of contract Alonso will receive this offseason, but he seems like a good fit for several potential teams, including the Astros, Cubs, Giants, Nationals, Red Sox, and Yankees.
Cohen and the Mets might focus on signing an even bigger free agent, outfielder Juan Soto. Or they might keep Alonso, just as they did with Nimmo and closer Edwin Díaz after the 2022 playoff season.
If Alonso doesn’t return, the Mets could shift young slugger Mark Vientos from third base to first and give Brett Baty another chance at third. Promising prospect Ronny Mauricio, who debuted in 2023 but missed this season due to a knee injury, could also be considered.
New York needs a designated hitter since Jesse Winker and J.D. Martinez could become free agents. Rookie speedster Luisangel Acuña might compete for playing time at second base, where Jeff McNeil had a tough season, or in center field, where Tyrone Taylor is eligible for arbitration and Harrison Bader is hitting free agency again.
The bullpen needs a lot of rebuilding in front of Díaz, and the starting rotation for late in the season likely will only keep David Peterson (10-3, 2.90 ERA) and Tylor Megill (4-5, 4.04). Kodai Senga, expected to be the team’s No. 1 starter this season, is hoping to get back to his All-Star form after only pitching 10 1/3 innings all year because of shoulder, calf, and triceps injuries.
“This year has been a frustrating year,” Senga said through a translator. “This offseason I’ll have to look at a lot of things one by one because post-rehab, coming back, things just didn’t click the same way that it did. That’s a fact.
In order to get my performance back up, I’ll need to go over this offseason and re-examine things one by one.” Sean Manaea (12-6, 3.47 ERA), who became the staff ace in the second half of a breakout season, expressed pride in his close-knit Mets during a clubhouse interview after the season-ending loss.
However, it seems likely that the big left-hander will turn down a $13.5 million player option for 2025. This would make Manaea, Luis Severino (11-7, 3.91), and Jose Quintana (10-10, 3.75) all free agents. The veteran trio made a total of 94 regular-season starts and 10 more in the playoffs.
“If I was an agent, I would be very happy. They made themselves a lot of money. As a teammate, it’s going to be tough because they made themselves a lot of money and who knows where they’ll end up?”
Lindor said, specifically mentioning Manaea and Alonso. “They’re my brothers. I wish them nothing but the best, and hopefully they maximize everything they want.”
Jose Buttó (7-3, 2.55 ERA, three saves), who was changed from a starter to a valuable reliever this season, could return to the rotation.
Top pitching prospect Christian Scott is likely to miss the 2025 season after having Tommy John surgery, and Brandon Sproat is pretty much the only highly regarded pitcher in the upper levels of the farm system.
However, Stearns has shown skill in putting together strong pitching staffs, both this season with the Mets and during his time with the budget-friendly Milwaukee Brewers. Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, and Blake Snell are top starters available in free agency.
“We already have a culture here. We set a precedent,” Lindor said. “If you come here to this organization, you’ve got to work. You’ve got to work, you’ve got to respect everybody, and you’re going to be held accountable for every action.”
In the fourth season since Cohen purchased the Mets from the Wilpon family, New York had the highest payroll in the major leagues at $332 million and is expected to pay a $96 million luxury tax.
Since Cohen arrived, the plan has been to model the Mets after the Dodgers, a consistent winner in a large media market with a big payroll and a strong enough farm system to deal with major injuries.
The determined Mets faced the injury-stricken Dodgers during the NLCS and were beaten four times in six games, getting outscored 46-26 overall while setting a postseason record by issuing 42 walks in the series.
“That should be our goal — not only to be like them, but better than them,” Mendoza said. “We’ve got work to do.”
