With the Orioles in the Bronx for a series with the Yankees, it marks the first time Pete Alonso has returned to New York since his departure from the Mets this offseason. Prior to Friday’s series opener, Alonso held a 13-minute session with media where he said he never had a final conversation with Steve Cohen or David Stearns before signing with the Orioles. He did, however, speak with Carlos Mendoza and a few former teammates.

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

The Mets (11-21) defeated the Angels (12-21) 4-3 on Friday night. New York rallied from down 3-0 with Francisco Alvarezand Marcus Semien combining to tie the game before Ronny Mauricio untied it with a mammoth home run, his first of the year. Christian Scott also looked much more comfortable in his second start of the year, allowing three runs (two earned) in five innings with eight strikeouts and no walks.

Early Friday morning, the Mets provided confidence in Carlos Mendoza and David Stearns via MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo. Despite the team’s atrocious start to the season, both Mendoza and Stearns appear to be safe for now.

Rehabbing lefty reliever A.J. Minter gave up an unearned run in an inning of work with Triple-A Syracuse on Friday. Recently promoted top prospect A.J. Ewing also had another good game for Syracuse on Friday, going 1-for-1 with two walks, two stolen bases and two runs.

The Mets’ Double-A affiliate, the Binghamton Rumble Ponies released an alternate identity as the Binghamton Bobbers. The name pays homage to the first Dick’s Sporting Goods location, which opened in Binghamton.

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The Orioles placed former Met Ryan Helsley on the injured list with right elbow inflammation. Helsley has a 2.53 ERA with seven saves in 12 appearances this year.

Former Met Max Kranick signed a deal with the Nationals. Kranick had a 3.65 ERA in 24 appearances with the Mets in 2025.

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Kai Chang highlights the performance of Freddy Peralta in the Mets’ Thursday night loss to the Nationals.

Jorge Eckardt explains why A.J. Ewing might be the Mets’ new best prospect.

On This Date in Mets History

Born on This Date: Luis Torrens (1996), Jonathan Villar (1991), Erasmo Ramírez (1990), Joe Crawford (1970), Eddie Bressoud (1932).

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According to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, the club does not intend on firing manager Carlos Mendoza and continues to support the third-year skipper in hopes that a turnaround is on the horizon.

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Rock bottom keeps getting deeper and deeper for the Mets (7-13) as they lost their ninth straight game Friday to the Cubs (10-9), 12-4. The game was noncompetitive from the beginning, as Kodai Senga allowed four first-inning runs. Absolutely nothing is going right for the Mets right now, and they are on the verge of a 10-game losing streak just 20 games into the season.

The Mets take on the Cubs again Saturday at 2:20 p.m. ET. Freddy Peralta (1-1, 3.86 ERA) will take the mound against Jameson Taillon (0-1, 4.86 ERA).

Prior to Friday’s game, David Stearns told the media that manager Carlos Mendoza is “doing a very good job,” and he is not to blame for the team’s current skid.

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Angels legend Garret Anderson passed away after dealing with a medical emergency. He was just 53. Anderson holds several Angels records including games played, hits and RBIs. The Angels will wear a patch on their jersey for the remainder of the season to honor Anderson.

Private-equity billionaire José E. Feliciano and his wife are nearing a deal to acquire the San Diego Padres, for an MLB-record $3.9 billion.

The Cubs placed closer Daniel Palencia on the injured list with a left oblique strain. Palencia has pitched in five games this year and has not allowed a run.

Former Mets minor leaguer Luke Ritter signed a minor league deal with the Tigers. Ritter was one of the top power bats in the Mets’ system from 2019-2025.

On This Date in Mets History

Born on This Date: Brady Clark (1973), Rico Brogna (1970), Doug Flynn (1951), Chuck Taylor (1942), Larry Foss (1936).

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On Players Who Left

He discussed how he can understand when fans get upset when fan favorite players leave the team. Those players were with the team when he first took ownership of the team and he developed relationships with them. He said it creates anxiety when player leave and you have not replaced them yet.

Howie described the Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil trades as, “strictly baseball decisions,” compared to deciding not to bring back players who were free agents. On Pete Alonso, Cohen said that under certain circumstances he could have seen a reunion but bluntly stated, “we weren’t going to go five years.” He said Pete got a great offer that would not have worked for the Mets. Every move they made this offseason was not thinking only about 2026, but for the future as well.

On Edwin Díaz, Cohen stated he felt the Mets offer was better than the Dodgers’ offer because their offer did not include the fourth-year conditional club option. He said he found the Díaz negotiations perplexing and that he still does not know how Edwin came to his decision, but Díaz made the decision he felt was best for him. He also said he felt Stearns was very clever to sign Devin Williams when he did and not hedge everything on Díaz returning.

Freddy Peralta. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

On the New Mets Players

Cohen used the word “disciplined” to describe the New York Mets this offseason. He also said it was rollercoaster and said he is routinely reminded by president of baseball operations David Stearns that the offseason does not end in December and can continue well into February.

Cohen described the front office as preparing for all possibilities throughout the offseason and that they were talking with Bo Bichette throughout the Kyle Tucker negotiations. They understood there was no guarantee Tucker would come to Queens and once the roster was completed he said he feels now that Bichette fits the roster better than Tucker would have. Similar to Díaz, he felt the Mets’ bid was superior to the Dodgers’ but the player made a decision based on personal preference.

Cohen described the new Mets’ roster as fun to watch with a hitters that bring better defense and a lot of contact. He is excited for the young players coming up from the minors as well as the players acquired through free agency and trades. Nolan McLean is one prospect he said he is excited to watch pitch in 2026. He described new starter Freddy Peralta as an established veteran that is great in the clubhouse and brings a great personality.

Cohen said he always wanted the Mets’ roster to have a balance of young players and veterans and what they are building here can over the next few years create sustainable success.

On the State of the Mets’ Organization

Cohen stated he is excited by the 2026 Mets roster and described the new faces as “gamers” that are playoff tested and playoff performers. Cohen said he is excited by the energy these new players have brought to spring training and said he thinks fans are going to be excited by the type of ball the Mets are going to play.

Cohen added he has a great relationship with manager Carlos Mendoza and that he will talk and text Mendoza when he has an idea. He said he and Stearns are in constant contact and he loves that whenever he has a question Stearns always knows the answer. “It takes a lot of anxiety away from me that I know things are run the way they are supposed to be run,” Cohen explained. He described the front office as very strong.

He also said that while he is heavily involved in the team as a whole, he usually does not interfere with baseball decisions. He will make suggestions, but in the end David Stearns and his staff have the final say. He says he tried to ask the right questions and hold his staff accountable, but they are far more knowledgeable than he is on what the best baseball decisions are. He is not going to step in and override David Stearns.

We saw that process work well in 2025 when they followed Stearns’ plan to wait out the Alonso market. Stearns then brought Cohen in at the end of the process when they signed Alonso to his two-year contract with an opt out.

Carlos Beltrán. Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY

On the Mets Hall of Fame

On the inductions of Carlos Beltrán, Bobby Valentine, and Lee Mazzilli Cohen described those discussions and phone calls. Cohen gets the final say on who is inducted and described the process as something he looks forward to. He loves getting to have that phone call to notify them they have been selected and said all three of them are still heavily involved in the organization. He said all three of them do not shy away from giving their advice or view of the current Mets.

Carlos Beltrán is a special advisor to the Mets currently and was just voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame with a Mets cap. He described Beltran as a resource that communicates well with players and develops strong relationships and trust with them. He also provides a viewpoint and expertise that helps the front office and the team think about all aspects of what they are trying to accomplish. Beltran is only the third player to go in with a Mets cap on and Cohen wants to see more players reach the Hall of Fame as Mets.

On the 1986 Mets

Howie described the 1986 Mets as their contemporaries. Howie turned 72 soon after recording the interview and Cohen is turning 70 in June. Cohen has gotten to know Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling well through their work at SNY. He got to know Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden through their number retirement process. He touched on how he has gotten to know those members as well as Mookie Wilson and had dinners with them hearing them talk about how much they love baseball and love to share their stories and experiences. He said his discussions with these former Mets stars also impacts how he views the team now. 2026 will be the 40th anniversary of that World Series season.

On Metropolitan Park

Howie described that vision as finally becoming reality. When Cohen bought this team he kept hearing about how there is nothing to do before or after the game. He became dedicated to make Citi Field a destination that people will want to spend the whole day at. Their goal is to make the community and fans proud with this project. It is complex and they are continually spending a lot of time thinking about it and how they can improve the area.

On the Upcoming CBA Negotiations

Cohen described himself as just one of 30 owners and that a lot can happen over the course of the 2026 season before he needs to worry about the CBA negotiations. He will let central baseball handle that and he will stay focused on the 2026 season and bringing a championship to Queens. It is hard to predict the future so he will figure it out when they get there.

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Pitchers and catchers are officially due to report to spring training today. It’s the start of the 2026 season.

Freddy Peralta Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Latest Mets News

The Mets announced on Tuesday that they’ve acquired left-handed reliever Bryan Hudson from the White Sox in exchange for cash considerations. The 28-year-old is two years removed from a terrific 2024, when he posted a 1.73 ERA across 43 appearances with the Brewers. Hudson averaged 90-91 mph with his fastball last season and pairs it with a sweeper.

As it stands, Hudson is one of only three left-handers in the Mets’ bullpen, slotting behind the potentially injured A.J. Minter and Brooks Raley on the depth chart.

David Stearns announced that Juan Soto is moving to left field to improve the team’s overall defense and accommodate a variety of right field candidates, including Carson Benge. Stearns also reported that Francisco Lindor is being evaluated for a hamate bone injury that may require surgery. Despite the injury, Stearns is optimistic that Lindor will be back in time for Opening Day. Read more on Stearns’ Tuesday presser, via MMO‘s Robert Colonna.

According to the New York Post‘s Mike Puma, Ronny Mauricio will wear No. 0 in 2026 after giving up No. 10 to Marcus Semien. Tylor Megill switches to No. 58, as Devin Williams takes Megill’s No. 38. Dylan Ross will wear No. 66.

Abbey Mastracco of the New York Daily News tweets that Hayden Senger left his old offseason job at Whole Foods to play winter ball in the Dominican League. The Mets’ current No. 3 catcher hit .241/.281/.448 with Tigres del Licey.

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MLB.com projected every team’s lineups and rotations come Opening Day.

Per MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, Braves right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach is dealing with right elbow inflammation. The Braves are hoping it could be bone spurs, but he’s nontheless headed to the 60-day injured list.

Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports that the Rockies have agreed to a one-year deal with right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano. Per ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the 36-year-old will be guaranteed $5.1 million. As a corresponding move, the team placed Kris Bryant on the 60-day injured list.

One last dance. Jeff Passan of ESPN reports that the Tigers have inked Justin Verlander to a one-year, $13 million deal. Verlander turns 43 next week and is coming off a 3.85 ERA over 152 innings.

In-market streaming subscriptions for 20 clubs will be available starting Tuesday. Click this link for everything you need to know. This will not affect streaming for the Mets.

Alex Cora officially announced that Garrett Crochet will be the Red Sox’s Opening Day starter.

The Athletics have signed right-hander Aaron Civale to a one-year, $6 million deal, according to ESPN‘s Jeff Passan. The veteran Civale can earn an additional $1.5 million through incentives.

According to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com, slugging outfielder Anthony Santander will miss five to six months of 2026 after undergoing left labrum surgery. It’s been a frustrating stretch for both Santander and the Blue Jays, who signed him to a five-year, $92.5 million deal after his 44-homer 2024. He slashed just .175/.271/.294 in 54 games last season.

Additionally, manager John Schneider told Matheson that Shane Bieber will open the season on the 15-day injured list, and fellow right-hander Bowden Francis will undergo Tommy John surgery.

MLB Network released its Top 10 Right Now list for relievers. The Red Sox’s Aroldis Chapman ranked first, followed by Mason Miller and former Met Edwin Díaz.

The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen reported the financial details of Framber Valdez’s deal with the Tigers. The deal includes a $20 million signing bonus deferred until 2030, plus a $40 million mutual option for 2029.

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Christian De Block ranks the NL East’s center fielders.

Elliot Teichman previews Daniel Duarte as a non-roster invitee.

On This Date in Mets History

Born on This Date: Tom Veryzer (1953), Steve Springer (1961), Brian Daubach (1972), Gregory Soto (1995).

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With each move, FanGraphs updated their preseason WAR projections for New York. Prior to the three major moves the team made, the Mets sat with the sixth-highest overall projected WAR. Now, they rank fourth and own the highest projected WAR among National League East teams. The only National League team they trail is the Los Angeles Dodgers. The American League New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays also rank ahead of the Mets.

Making up there 47.4 projected fWAR is a batting WAR that ranks second to Los Angeles. Their projected pitching fWAR ranks 16th. The Mets grade out strongly at second base, shortstop, third base, and right field.

The weak spots on the Mets’ roster as it stands according to fWAR projections are left field, designated hitter, and starting pitching. Every other position group ranks in the top-half of the league.

FanGraphs is very bullish on the Mets to say the least.

Final Thoughts

Projections are just that, but on paper president of baseball operations David Stearns appears to have done a great job reshaping the roster. Entering the season, FanGraphs sees New York as one of the better teams in the league. They are not the only ones either, as several oddsmakers have the Mets as the team closest to the Dodgers, just as FanGraphs does.

The post Updated Look At FanGraphs’ 2026 Team WAR Projections appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

But what is, “run prevention?” It does not mean you need to have a gold glove defender at every position. Simply put, run prevention means allowing your opponent to score as few runs as you can. There are many ways to get there.

Luis Robert. (photo credits: Roberto Carlo)

Defense Up the Middle

The area you want to focus the most defensively are the up the middle positions – shortstop, center field, catcher and second base. Trading for multi-gold glove winner Marcus Semien to play second base dramatically improves the Mets up the middle defense. Pairing him with Francisco Lindor, who still profiles as an above average defensive shortstop creates a dynamic duo in the infield. Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens are both expected to bring solid defense behind the plate. Torrens was a finalist for the Gold Glove award for the 2025 season and while Alvarez had struggles at times in 2025 with his hand injury, he has developed into an above average defensive catcher. In 2024 he ranked in the 67th percentile in fielding run value.

The recently acquired Luis Robert Jr. provides a plus-plus glove in center field, posting seven outs above average in 2025, which was in the 93rd percentile. Tyrone Taylor in 2025 rated in the 83rd percentile in outs above average last year and is capable of playing all three outfield positions. He looks to be back in the fourth outfielder role. Carson Benge took huge strides defensively last year and looking like he could profile as an above average corner outfielder or center fielder. The Mets have stated that he will come to spring training with the opportunity to win the left field job out of camp and he was already in St. Lucie as of January 22, 2026 working on drills.

Securing defense up the middle also affords the Mets the opportunity to utilize more bat first players in the corners. Juan Soto, Jorge Polanco, and Bo Bichette are impact hitters who bring some questions with them defensively. But when you have plus defense in premium spots you can take the chance to acquire difference makers in the lineup.

Bo Bichette, Marcus Semien. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Moving Down the Defensive Spectrum

As mentioned above the premium defensive positions are typically considered shortstop, center field, catcher, and to an extent second base. Often players who are able to field one of those positions are capable of moving to a corner spot.

Shortstop to third base is not an uncommon transition. As mentioned in our previous breakdown, Bichette profiles as someone who you would expect could make the move to third base and potentially even be an average to good defender at the position. Will Sammon and Tim Britton of the Athletic reported that the Mets believe in bench coach Kai Correa’s ability to improve player defense and believe they have already targeted the changes Bichette needs to make. Kai Correa previously helped former Met J.D. Davis improve his third base defense with the Giants.

Jorge Polanco has not played an inning of first base in the majors but that does not mean he is not well versed in the position. Will Sammon of the Athletic reported in December 2025 that Polanco spent two months with the Mariners infield coach Perry Hill and bench coach Manny Acta learning first base. Sammon wrote, “The lessons included how to hold a runner on, how to get to the base without getting stepped on, how to position himself, how to throw to second base on a grounder using his backhand and how to get back to the bag in case a catcher made a snap throw.” Polanco’s experience at shortstop, second base, and third base should also position well to transition to first base.

Tobias Myers. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Pitching Pitching and More Pitching

One of the biggest forms of run prevention is when pitchers prevent runs from scoring. The Mets’ pitching collapsed in the second half of the 2025 season and the Mets are working to address that issue. A full season of Nolan McLean in the rotation, the return of Christian Scott, an increase of innings from other young arms including Jonah Tong dramatically improves the Mets pitching depth. Many innings that were filled by journeymen and waiver claims can now be filled by them.

The Mets began addressing this with additions bullpen by signing Devin Williams and Luke Weaver. The Mets expect A.J. Minter to be able to return early in the season and they picked up the club option for Brooks Raley. Former Cubs closer Adbert Alzolay, whom the Mets signed before the 2025 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, could be a potential impact arm in the bullpen. Internal arms including Dylan Ross and Ryan Lambert could take innings this year as could the young starters. The bullpen looks like it could have more flexibility with players like those who could be optioned alongside Huascar Brazobán. The Mets still have room to add more arms to the bullpen as well.

The biggest improvement to the Mets pitching and run prevention will likely come from the trade that sent Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers to the Mets. Peralta will lead the front of the rotation and Myers could be a stabilizing force either in the bullpen, rotation, or a bit of both.

Juan Soto. Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Improving Internal Defense

The Mets believe their players can improve. Manager Carlos Mendoza spoke at the Winter Meetings about the defensive regimen the Mets coaching staff have started with Juan Soto across the offseason and David Stearns has repeatedly stated he believes Soto can improve his defense. In 2019 and 2021 Soto was rated a plus outfield defender by outs above average. Since then he has not spent a full season in both the same position and ballpark, bouncing between three teams and alternating between left and right field. This will be Soto’s first back to back seasons in the same position and ballpark since 2021.

Marcus Semien recently worked with Brett Baty and now-traded prospect Jett Williams on their infield defense. This idea came in from discussions between Semien and Kai Correa. In the past Francisco Lindor has also worked one on one with Brett Baty and Mark Vientos.

The makeup of the team has also changed. As much as Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo impact the team with their bats, they were not defensive powerhouses in 2025. Jeff McNeil did show very strong defensive versatility, but per Joel Sherman of the New York Post, McNeil underwent surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome at the start of the 2026 offseason.

Final Thoughts

There are many ways to improve run prevention. The Mets believe that they are improving their defense through the changes in coaching staff, new defensive programs, and the players they have brought in. They have upgraded their pitching staff. They may also to add more players to the roster on both the offensive and pitching sides.

In the end, the goal is simple: limit how many runs your opponent can score. That, is what run prevention is all about.

The post The 2026 Mets And Run Prevention appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Updated January 22, 2026, at 4:40 PM

David Stearns spoke with the media on Thursday about the state of the Mets roster and acquiring Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers.

He referred to Peralta as a pitcher who has established himself as one of the top and most consistent starters in the game. Stearns touched on his relationship with Peralta over the last decade. Stearns traded for him in 2015 and extended him in 2020. Stearns described getting a “front row seat” to his development and described it as “fun to watch”.

He described Myers as a great development story and someone who can impact the team from both the rotation and the bullpen. Myers was acquired by the Brewers in 2023, which was Stearns’ final year with that team. He mentioned how Myers has pitched in big moments and fills up the zone, and how that versatility to move between the bullpen and rotation, as well as his roster flexibility, is a big benefit to the Mets.

Stearns recognized that they parted with some great young players in Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams, but that is part of what happens when you acquire a very good player in return. When asked if Tobias Myers in the deal made it easier moving those two prospects, he stated they would not have given Sproat up “in a deal where there was not a starting pitcher coming back.”

Stearns then took the press through the timeline. The first discussions began in November and the framework of a return changed significantly over that timeline in terms of size and scope. Talks picked up over the last few days and they were able to get it over the line on January 21, 2026. Stearns confirmed that parts of the deal came together during his anniversary dinner with his wife and was finalized when they got back home.

At the start of the offseason, the Mets had many boxes to check. Stearns stated that the Mets are very happy with how the team has shaped up. They feel that the players they retained, including Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor, provide a strong core, the young players will have an impact, and they have been able to grab strong additions to fill the holes in their roster.

He described the offseason as long, and he understands how fans can be upset when they see good players and fan favorites leave the organization at the start of the offseason, but it is up to the front office to recognize how long an offseason is and how there can be a lot of activity in January, February, and March. They understood that there were going to be very good opportunities to make their team better, and he is happy with where the team is now. He said that while they have checked many of the boxes they had going into the season, they will always be opportunistic and that they will keep in touch with both the free agent market and the trade market across the weeks leading into spring training and during spring training.

On “run prevention,” Stearns mentioned that it starts with defense up the middle. They also believe that Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco, two former shortstops, will be able to play their new positions at a high level.

Stearns described the National League East as a very tough division, and when asked if he felt the Mets were at the top of the division now, he responded, “Until we win a division, we can’t claim we are at the top”. He stated the Mets organization is committed from the top down to continually improve the team and get to that point.

On his view of the rotation, he stated, “We like our rotation.” He mentioned how adding a stabilizing force like Peralta to lead the rotation gives some space to their young pitchers and allows breathing room for bounce-back seasons from Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga. He said he feels that it has a good balance of young players and veterans, and that the AAA rotation is also strong and many of those pitchers will contribute in the majors across the 2026 season. When asked if Peralta is their number one starter, he mentioned how many of their starters have at times pitched as one, including Peralta. Before he joined the team, Senga did, part of 2024 Sean Manaea did, and Nolan McLean showed flashes of potential as a front-line starter in 2025.

Stearns said he would not speculate on the possibility of an extension on day one and will not address that publicly, keeping it private. Right now, he wants Peralta to have the time to get acclimated to the organization and his teammates. He said that at the time of a trade it has to be viewed as receiving the player for the term they are buying, and while there is always the chance to extend, that cannot be assumed.

Interview with Andy Martino

David Stearns sat down with Andy Martino of the New York Mets and discussed the flurry of Mets moves and how they impact the team. He joked about how family members and friends who were not thrilled about the Mets’ offseason are very excited about their recent moves.

He touched on the signing of Bo Bichette and how he lengthens the lineup. He described Bichette as a right-handed batter who takes competitive at-bats and prioritizes winning above all else. He described the process of signing him as not as much a pivot from Kyle Tucker, but one that began with the GM meetings in November and involved dozens of conversations, contract framework discussions, and check-ins. He stated that when they were made aware that Bo was nearing a decision, they were very well equipped to engage.

On Luis Robert Jr., he described him as a player with an incredibly high ceiling that still has the skills that led to his breakout 2023 season, where he slashed .264/.315/.542/.857 with 38 homers and 20 steals. He mentioned how his bat speed and sprint speed are there, and their goal is to help him get to his highest level.

He reiterated that top prospect Carson Benge will have the opportunity to make the club out of camp, and the acquisition of Robert does not change that. He did clarify that this does not mean that Benge will be guaranteed to win a spot, but he will have every chance. They have confidence that Tyrone Taylor is capable if necessary until Benge is ready, and also believe that Brett Baty can be “pretty good out there” defensively. He described Benge as fully capable in either center field or one of the corner outfield spots.

When asked about Mark Vientos, Stearns said that he will have the opportunity to compete for at-bats on the major league roster between designated hitter, first base, and even some third base at-bats. When asked about first base competition with Jorge Polanco Stearns said, “With Polanco he is certainly going to see some first base, we know he has positional versatility as well, he might see some DH at times as well, so a lot of this is fluid and it gives Mendy some different options every single night when he’s writing up the lineup card.”

Stearns mentioned that Kodai Senga is fully expected to be part of the rotation in 2026. He said that Senga has had a strong offseason and came over to the States right around the new year with the Mets staff. They are excited to get him going in spring training.

Finally, they concluded by talking about the Hall of Fame induction of Carlos Beltrán. He discussed how Beltran earned those honors and how the Mets front office is privileged to work with him on a daily basis.

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Where the Mets Stand on Position Players

On the position player front, Stearns said, “I feel good about our position player grouping as a whole. I think we have a group that complements each other very well, a group that fits very well together. As you said, we are never going to stop looking. At this point in the offseason in particular, things pop up that you don’t anticipate. Things can change pretty quickly. But I am happy with the position player group we have right now.”

The main additions to the Mets lineup this offseason are Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco, Bichette, and Robert. Gelbs asked Stearns if he was prioritizing contact hitters and limiting swing and miss. Stearns stated that contact specifically was not the priority, but taking competitive at-bats up and down the lineup was a priority. He stated that the Mets lineup will see “highly competitive bats one through nine”.

In December, Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic reported that the Mets held interest in adding a right-handed batter and that person could end up being a player who could also play first base. Since adding right-handed hitters in Bichette and Robert, it is unclear if that is still a goal of the Mets. After the Robert trade, Will Sammon of The Athletic wrote, “A smaller addition for the lineup, perhaps an outfielder for a relatively modest price, shouldn’t be ruled out.”

Where the Mets Stand on Pitching

When asked about the rotation, Stearns said, “My preference is to add a starting pitcher. I have been open and honest about that through the entirety of the offseason. I can’t say with certainty we are going to be able to do that, but we remain engaged on a number of different fronts in that market. We certainly have plenty of time to go in the offseason and plenty of time before Opening Day, so we will see where it heads.”

Sammon connected the Mets to Freddy Peralta and Framber Valdez as options that could fill the front of the rotation and Chris Bassitt and Jose Quintana as options that could slot into the back. The Dodgers were recently linked to Peralta by Katie Woo of The Athletic. When Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman was asked earlier today at the Kyle Tucker press conference if the Dodgers are still in the market for starting pitching, he responded, “We are not”, per Doug McKain of Dodgers Nation.

Sammon also recently mentioned Kris Bubic and MacKenzie Gore could be potential fits for the Mets, but that both are long shots. Tarik Skubal would be the top starter moved if traded, but it is unclear if he will be traded this offseason.

The Full Roster

After signing García, the Mets 40 man roster stands at 41 players. This means someone will need to be removed to make room for him. When the 60-day injured list opens in February, the Mets can move Tylor Megill, Reed Garrett and Dedniel Núñez to the 60-day IL, opening up three more 40-man spots. That will allow them to be opportunistic in spring training as teams try to pass players through waivers.

Until then, the Mets continue to monitor the market to improve the Mets roster before Opening Day. Whether that comes in the form of pitching, offense, or both, as Stearns said, the Mets are “never going to stop looking.”

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Bichette was signed by the Mets on a three-year, $126 million contract with player options for 2027 and 2028. His deal includes a $40 million signing bonus, and he would get a $5 million buyout if he exercises his player option.

Stearns opened up the conference with his introduction of Bichette. “Bo’s accomplishments and talents on the field are very well covered. He’s one of the most complete right-handed hitters in our sport,” described Stearns. He noted Bichette’s incredible knowledge of the game and his incredible baseball aptitude.

Over the course of his career, Bichette has hit .294/.337/.469, with a .806 OPS. With runners in scoring position, he is batting a very impressive career .330, which proves just how disciplined he is at the plate and his firm understanding of needing to get the job done of scoring runs to put a team in position to win, which Stearns also discussed.

“He intensely wants to win,” Stearns said. “It’s the intense desire to win that came through loud and clear (during the discussions with Bichette and his agents). That was the priority for Bo. Regardless of what position he was going to play or what part of the country he was going to play in, winning was the priority for Bo,” he stated.

And for Bichette, he saw the seriousness in Steve Coen and David Stearns hunt to put together a World Series-caliber roster.

As he was introduced by Stearns, donned the No. 19 jersey for the first time in front of family, friends, and the media, and then began his opening remarks describing what the day and this season mean to him. He thanked the Mets for the opportunity and then noted how it became clear to him that after seven seasons as a Blue Jay, he wanted to be a Met, even when it meant moving from shortstop to third base.

“With a lot of prayer and conversations with my family, some friends, and my agents, it was very obvious that I wanted to be a Met. Mr. Cohen and David (Stearns) have put together an organization that is looking to win every single year, has a chance to win a World Series every year, and a roster that backs that up. It’s very exciting to be a part of, said Bo. “Excited to be here and excited to be a Met.”

Bichette reiterated his desire to win and what it means to join an organization that shares that desire. “My first priority’s winning and this organization’s doing everything they can to do that,” he said. “The roster’s great, and on top of that, playing in front of fans like this is a pretty incredible opportunity and I’m excited to get out there,” Bichette noted that the position he would play didn’t factor into the decision either. It was all about winning and the organization he felt called to be part of to do so.

Photo Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Bichette and second baseman Marcus Semien played together in Toronto in 2021 and the two infielders quickly formed a bond. As part of coming to the Mets, Bichette and Semien will reunite on the infield for the first time since that season. And while Bichette noted he didn’t make a decision solely on Semien being in the organization, he said it certainly was a bonus that didn’t hurt in making the final decision. He called Semien someone who “taught me the ropes, showed me how to be professional, and how to go about the game and someone who I respect a ton, and I’m excited to play with him again,” he said.

Bichette discussed his success with runners in scoring position, along with what he hopes to bring to the lineup, and the answer was all about doing the job and bringing home runners to put numbers on the scoreboard.

“To win ballgames, you have to score runs,” stated Bichette. “That should really be the only goal of an offense, to score runs,” he said. He does that by playing his game. He said what he hopes to bring to the Mets as a player is understanding who he is, in the field, and at the plate. He described his goal as being to “going out and being the best I can and being the toughest out I can be every time I go up to bat. My goal is to go up there and be a competitive at-bat every single time,” said the righty hitter.

At the conclusion of his introductory press conference, Bichette met with Steve Gelbs of SNY and reiterated much of what he had said in his introduction.

He discussed how, though it seemed like the deal came out of nowhere to some fans, the Mets and Bichette’s camp had been in discussions since the offseason began, and it was just last week when the deal came to fruition, and how both parties agreed on it.

“The goal is to be at an extreme level of focus every time. The goal is to get runs across and to get the job done when the scenario is presented,” he stated. That’s how he compete,s and he’s excited to now compete inside Citi Field as his home field as well. He described Citi Field as his favorite stadium to play in as an opponent of the Mets, citing the electric atmosphere, and stated that he is excited to live up to the expectations of the Mets’ home fans.

Bichette closed by talking about and reiterating his excitement to reunite with (Marcus) Semien.

“He’s a special leader, a special person, someone who goes about things the right way. I’m excited to go out there and play with him again and fit in here where I can,” said Bichette.

The Mets have acquired a very talented player in Bichette, and he is ready to put in the work. He knows he has challenges ahead moving from shortstop to third base, but he said he’s ready to get to work and get to know his new position, help his team win, and compete for the “best fans” in the world.

Welcome to New York, third baseman, No. 19, Bo Bichette!

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