MMO Players of the Week: Benge, McLean Strengthen ROY Cases

Two Mets rookies finished the season very strong, and yet another rookie record was broken this week. With another regular season behind them and the Mets missing the postseason for the second straight year, 2026 gave Mets fans something to look forward to. Something is brewing in Queens that could lead to sustained success. A new young core of players- Carson Benge, Nolan McLean, A.J. Ewing, Christian Scott, Zac Thornton and Jonah Tong – are set to join superstars Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor may just be what the organization has needed all along to become a true playoff contender year-round.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: CARSON BENGE, OF

What an exciting and historic last couple of weeks for Carson Benge. The 23-year-old set a new franchise record for hits by a rookie (168) and also became the first Mets rookie ever to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases. Benge also joined an exclusive club in MLB history, as he is only the 18th rookie ever to accomplish this feat.

This week, Benge slashed .375/.444/.625/1.069 with one home run, three doubles, and three RBIs. In his first month as a big leaguer, Benge hit just .189/.247/.278 with a 48 wRC+. The rest of the way? .299/.362/.456 with a 129 wRC+. Not to mention, he finished in the 100th percentile in arm value (+7), per Baseball Savant.

Perhaps the next step for Benge this offseason is to add muscle to his 6’1″, 185-pound frame. Newly minted permanent manager Andy Green believes Benge can add on muscle this offseason. He noted, “A lot of balls that landed on the warning track this season would be gone in 2027.”

While many still have Cincinnati’s Sal Stewart as the favorite for NL Rookie of the Year, Carson Benge’s insane final month at the plate and in the field will certainly give him a run for Stewart’s money.

PITCHER OF THE WEEK: NOLAN MCLEAN, SP

Nolan McLean spun a gem in his last start of the season and is solidifying his own Rookie of the Year case. He pitched seven innings against the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, striking out five batters while allowing 2 earned runs on just three hits. This was his 20th quality start (of 31 starts), landing him in the top six in baseball and fourth in the NL. In front of him? Cristopher Sánchez, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Sandy Alcantara and Michael Wacha. McLean is tied for fifth-best; with him are presumptive AL Cy Young winner Cam Schlittler and 2026 AL wins leader Sonny Gray.

McLean has proven to be the frontline starter the Mets envisioned this season as he finishes with 179.2 innings pitched and 194 strikeouts, both in the top 14 in all of baseball. Among qualified rookies, McLean leads in strikeouts, with Cleveland’s Parker Messick trailing at 193.

The competition for Rookie of the Year is intense this season, and McLean is the clear standout for NL Rookie pitchers. However, his strongest competition might be his own teammate, Benge.

HONORABLE MENTION: BRETT BATY, INF

The best Mets player in September was Brett Baty, who is proving the Mets’ belief in him accurate. He owns a .333/.417/.608 slash and a 180 wRC+ in 60 plate appearances this month, best on the team. In this final week of the season, Baty slashed .267/.313/.533 with a grand slam, a double, and five RBIs. His pinch-hit grand slam in Texas went a whopping 455 feet to cap Wednesday’s win. 

Brett Baty has continued to hit the ball hard, take good at-bats, and play solid defense at multiple positions as he tries to cement a role in next season’s team. If he has found a consistent swing for power at the major league level, there is a chance for real impact in the middle of the lineup that the Mets will need to return to the playoffs next year.