Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Mets pitcher Jonah Tong is likely to begin the season in Triple-A. Tong, still just 22, recorded a 7.71 ERA in five big league starts last year, but has been brilliant when pitching in the minor leagues. The Mets still have high hopes for Tong, which is why they withheld him from trade talks with the Brewers for Freddy Peralta, according to Heyman. But after acquiring Peralta and having several other big league pitchers firmly in the rotation, Tong is set to start 2026 on the outside looking in.

Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

In a video posted to Mets social accounts, Francisco Lindor addressed Mets fans and expressed excitement for the upcoming season, especially with a lot of new faces joining the team.

Tobias Myers spoke about what it’s been like joining the Mets, and how things are going so far in Port St. Lucie.

Keith Law of The Athletic ranked his Top 20 Mets prospects heading into this season, with Nolan McLean claiming the top spot.

Francisco Alvarez will be at Mulcahy’s in Wantagh on Long Island on Saturday for a public signing.

Latest MLB News

Per ESPN‘s Jeff Passan, Paul Goldschmidt signed a one-year deal to return to the Yankees in 2026. Goldschmidt owned a .731 OPS for the Yankees in 2025.

Yasiel Puig was found guilty of obstruction of justice and making false statements to investigators in a sports gambling case against him. Puig will be sentenced on May 26.

The Dodgers announced they claimed catcher Ben Rortvedt off waivers and designated reliever and former Met Anthony Banda for assignment.

Blue Jays announcer and former player and manager Buck Martinez announced his retirement from the broadcast booth.

Latest on MMO

Mathias Altman-Kurosaki ranks the bullpens of all five NL East teams.

Robert Colonna ranks the 2026 World Baseball Classic rosters.

On This Date in Mets History

Born on This Date: Ty Adcock (1997), Endy Chávez (1978), Charlie Puleo (1955), Benny Ayala (1951).

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The Major League Baseball Players Association announced that Francisco Lindor will not play in the World Baseball Classic.

Lindor had a small cleanup procedure on his right elbow following the 2025 season and that made him ineligible to play because of insurance constraints.

Lindor is expected to be fully healthy for spring training later this month.

There have been multiple reports have players failing to get the necessary insurance to play in the upcoming WBC.

Latest Mets News

Anthony DiComo of MLB.com shared pictures on X Friday of the Mets’ equipment truck packing up and departing for Port St. Lucie. The 2026 season is right around the corner for the Mets, as pitchers and catchers are set to report on February 11. The Mets’ position players are set to report on February 16.

Will Sammon of The Athletic detailed the Mets’ roster overhaul this season, including how they landed players such as Jorge Polanco and Bo Bichette.

Latest MLB News

Per Jeff Passan of ESPN, the A’s signed shortstop Jacob Wilson to a seven-year, $70 million contract. The 23-year-old had an exceptional rookie season, batting .311 with 13 home runs.

Passan also reported that Mariners starter Logan Evans underwent Tommy John surgery last week. Evans made 15 starts for the Mariners in 2025 and had a 4.32 ERA.

The Twins and president of baseball operations Derek Falvey parted ways on Friday. He had been with the Twins since he was hired in October of 2016.

Former Met David Robertson announced his retirement on Friday. The 40-year-old was consistently one of the best relievers in baseball throughout his 17-year career, which he started with the Yankees. He spent just half a season with the Mets in 2023 before being dealt at the trade deadline, but he was phenomenal with a 2.05 ERA and 14 saves in 40 appearances. He ends his career with a stellar 2.93 ERA and 179 saves.

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Robert Colonna breaks down what a contract extension for Freddy Peralta could look like.

Jack Markowski discusses how Christian Scott will be a wild card for the Mets this season.

On This Date in Mets History

1962: Ralph Kiner signed on to join the broadcast booth alongside Bob Murphy and Lindsay Nelson for the expansion Mets.

Born on This Date: Alex Claudio (1992), Guillermo Heredia (1991), Rafael Santana (1958), Bob Apodaca (1950), Nolan Ryan (1947).

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Manager Carlos Mendoza appeared on Foul Territory Friday. He spoke about Luis Robert Jr., calling the new Met “one of the best” when healthy. The Mets will hope their new center fielder can stay healthy and tap into his potential, which would give the team a massive boost in 2026.

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Latest Mets News

SNY Director John DeMarsico announced on Twitter that he is leaving after 17 years with SNY. DeMarsico was well-known across the industry for his creativity and inclusion of movie references in SNY broadcasts.

The Mets traded reliever Cooper Criswell to the Mariners. Criswell had been DFA’d by the Mets just a few days prior.

Latest MLB News

The White Sox signed reliever Seranthony Domínguez to a two-year, $20 million contract. Domínguez is likely to serve as the team’s closer, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The 31-year-old spent 2025 between the Orioles and Blue Jays and recorded a 3.16 ERA in 67 appearances.

The Nationals signed former Mets prospect Bryce Montes de Oca to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. Montes de Oca showed a lot of potential with his velocity and movement on pitches before missing most of the last three seasons due to injury.

Latest on MMO

Robert Colonna takes a deeper look at the newest Met, Freddy Peralta.

David Melendi analyzes the Mets’ ZiPS projections for 2026.

Robert Colonna breaks down which Mets made MLB Pipeline’s lists for the top 10 prospects at each position.

On This Date in Mets History

1980: The Mets were sold to Fred Wilpon and Nelson Doubleday, who led a team of investors, for $21.1 million.

Born on This Date: Jose Quintana (1989), Mike Glavine (1973), Neil Allen (1958).

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The big news from Friday was that the Mets signed infielder Bo Bichette to a three-year, $126 million contract with opt-outs after Years 1 and 2. The news was first reported by Will Sammon of The Athletic.

Bichette is the Mets’ answer after losing the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes to the Dodgers. Bichette is a career .294 batter who hit .311/.357/.483/.840 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs across 139 games last season. He is expected to play third base, a position he has never played before in the major leagues.

Not only did the Mets add a formidable bat to their lineup, but they potentially persuaded him from going to a vaunted division rival. Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Phillies agreed Thursday night to Bichette’s ask of a seven-year, $200 million contract, but the Mets came with an offer that would not be beat.

Photo Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

In a follow-up article for The Athletic after Bichette signed with the Mets, Will Sammon detailed the team’s preparation on the infielder that allowed them to pivot off of Tucker so quickly. Per Sammon, “The Mets’ talks with Bichette began at the GM meetings, league sources said. Not knowing what to make of their chances with Tucker, the Mets met with Bichette via video within the last week.”

Per Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the Mets are expected to play Brett Baty at multiple positions, including left field.

Per Sarah Langs of MLB Network, the Mets could become just the second team in the last 100 years to start two non-rookie infielders on Opening Day with one career game or fewer played at their position. This would occur if Bo Bichette starts at third and Jorge Polanco starts at first, positions that will be new for both players.

The Mets claimed infielder Tsung-Che Cheng off waivers from the Rays. Cheng has just seven career at-bats at the major league level, all of which came in 2025 with the Pirates. He spent most of the season in Triple-A with the Pirates, where he struggled mightily with a .578 OPS.

Mets prospect Ryan Clifford came in as MLB Pipeline‘s no. 5 first base prospect. Clifford had an .826 OPS and 29 home runs across Double-A and Triple-A in 2025.

Latest MLB News

The Phillies, who thought they were getting Bichette before the Mets swooped in, instead re-signed catcher J.T. Realmuto to a three-year, $45 million contract. Realmuto was once one of the best catchers in the game, but his numbers have trailed off the past few years. He had a .700 OPS in 134 games in 2025.

The Twins signed catcher Victor Caratini to a two-year, $14 million deal. Caratini spent the past two seasons with the Astros, where he performed well offensively. In 2025, he recorded a .728 OPS in 114 games.

Latest on MMO

In the latest MMO Roundtable, we react to Kyle Tucker signing with the Dodgers.

Jack Markowski discusses how Bo Bichette signing with the Mets will impact their lineup.

David Melendi details the latest rumors, including that the Mets might still be in on Cody Bellinger.

On This Date in Mets History

Born on This Date: Colin Poche (1994), Dario Álvarez (1989), Don Zimmer (1931).

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The Mets’ 2026 Opening Day matchup against the Pirates will be nationally televised as part of NBC and Peacock’s Opening Day doubleheader. The game will air at 1:00 p.m. ET on March 26 and will be followed by the Diamondbacks and Dodgers at 8:00 p.m. ET. The game is likely to feature this new-look Mets team against Pittsburgh ace Paul Skenes. The Mets will be on NBC and Peacock four total times during the 2026 season.

Photo by Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

Baseball America updated its list of the top 10 Mets prospects. Starter Nolan McLean, unsurprisingly, is listed as the Mets’ top prospect, followed by Carson Benge and Jonah Tong.

Keith Hernandez and SNY are reportedly in the early stages of contract negotiations that would keep Hernandez in the SNY booth for three more years.

Latest MLB News

Max Kepler was suspended 80 games for testing positive for Epitrenbolone, a performance-enhancing drug. Kepler, whose free agency took a hit, was a lifelong Twin before signing with the Phillies ahead of the 2025 season. He recorded a .691 OPS in 127 games.

Former Met Ryne Stanek signed a one-year deal with the Cardinals. Stanek spent the second half of 2024 and all of 2025 with the Mets. He recorded a 5.30 ERA in 65 innings a season ago.

Former Met Nick Madrigal signed a minor-league deal with the Angels. Madrigal was signed as a Jose Iglesias replacement prior to the 2025 season, but he injured himself and did not appear in a game.

Sidney de Jong, a former member of the Netherlands national baseball team, passed away at 46. de Jong appeared in the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classic tournaments and had a crucial hit that led to a game-winning rally in a 2009 matchup against the Dominican Republic.

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Rafael González profiles starter Kris Bubic as a potential trade target for the Mets.

Jack Markowski breaks down the latest rumors, including Ketel Marte likely staying in Arizona, and the Yankees making a new offer to Cody Bellinger.

On This Date in Mets History

Born on This Date: José Castillo (1996), Rico Garcia (1994), Kevin Baez (1967), Jim Lindeman (1962), Mario Díaz (1962), Kelvin Torve (1960).

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The below is a list of these remaining free agents organized by projected 2026 Fangraphs’ wins above replacement (WAR). All the position players are being projected at least 1.0 fWAR, all starters at least 1.0 fWAR, and all relief pitchers at least 0.3 fWAR.

Position Players:

• Kyle Tucker, OF
• Bo Bichette, INF
• Alex Bregman, 3B
• Cody Bellinger, 1B/OF
• Eugenio Suárez, 3B
• J.T. Realmuto, C
• Luis Arraez, INF
• Harrison Bader, OF
• Marcell Ozuna, DH
• Willi Castro, INF
• Luis Rengifo, INF
• Victor Caratini, C/1B
• Miguel Andújar, OF/3B
• Yoán Moncada, 3B
• Jesse Winker, OF/DH

Starting Pitchers:

• Framber Valdez, SP
• Ranger Suárez, SP
• Zac Gallen, SP
• Chris Bassitt, SP
• Zack Littell, SP
• Justin Verlander, SP
• Jon Gray, SP
• Max Scherzer, SP
• Nick Martinez, SP
• Aaron Civale, SP
• Lucas Giolito, SP
• Miles Mikolas, SP
• Martín Pérez, SP
• Tomoyuki Sugano, SP
• Jose Quintana, SP
• Patrick Corbin, SP
• Chris Paddack, SP
• Alex Cobb, SP
• Marcus Stroman, SP
• Griffin Canning, SP
• Austin Gomber, SP

Relief Pitchers:

• Seranthony Domínguez, RHP
• Justin Wilson, LHP
• David Robertson, RHP
• Tyler Kinley, RHP
• Danny Coulombe, LHP
• Ryan Pressly, RHP
• Pierce Johnson, RHP
• Jakob Junis, RHP
• Evan Phillips, RHP
• Jonathan Loáisiga, RHP
• Luis García, RHP
• Scott Barlow, RHP
• Andrew Chafin, LHP

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Mark Vientos will represent Nicaragua at the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Vientos was born in Connecticut and went to high school in Florida, but his mom was born in Nicaragua while his dad was born in the Dominican Republic. Notable players who represented Nicaragua in the 2023 WBC include Jonathan Loáisiga and Erasmo Ramírez.

Mark Vientos (27) Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

The Mets posted a “Thank You” graphic for Edwin Díaz after his signing with the Dodgers became official.

The Mets signed reliever Daniel Duarte to a minor league deal. Duarte, 29, owns a 3.99 ERA in 36 career big league innings and has thrown 18 2/3 scoreless innings in the Mexican winter ball.

Latest MLB News

The Royals extended third baseman Maikel Garcia with a five-year contract. The deal is for $57.5 million, but he has the ability to make up to $85 million.

The Blue Jays signed reliever Tyler Rogers to a three-year, $37 million contract with a vesting option for a fourth year. Rogers, 35 next week, spent the second half of 2025 with the Mets after being dealt at the trade deadline. He was solid, earning a 2.30 ERA in 28 appearances. Prior to his trade to the Mets, Rogers spent his entire career with the Giants.

In other Blue Jays news, Rogers Communications announced that Blue Jays president and CEO Mark Shapiro has been extended for five years.

The Rangers signed catcher Danny Jansen to a two-year, $14.5 million contract. In 98 games between the Rays and Brewers in 2025, Jansen posted a .721 OPS.

The Rangers also signed relievers Alexis Díaz and Tyler Alexander to one-year contracts. Both relievers struggled in 2025 while playing for multiple teams.

The Marlins signed third baseman and corner outfielder Christopher Morel to a one-year deal. Morel, who has shown flashes of power in the past, struggled with a .684 OPS with the Rays in 2025.

Latest on MMO

Robert Colonna profiles reliever Kenley Jansen as a free agent target for the Mets.

Jack Markowski recaps the comments Pete Alonso made at his introductory press conference with the Orioles.

Kai Chang recaps the comments Edwin Díaz made at his introductory press conference with the Dodgers.

On This Date in Mets History

Born on This Date: Doug Saunders (1969), Ron Taylor (1937), J.C. Martin (1936), Joe Christopher (1935).

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Position: RP B/T: S/R
Age: 38 (9/30/1987)
2025 Traditional Stats: 62 G, 47 GF, 0 HLD, 29 SV, 1 BS, 59 IP, 5-4, 2.59 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 57 SO, 19 BB
2025 Advanced Stats: 165 ERA+, 24.4% K%, 8.1% BB%, 3.75 xERA, 3.98 FIP, 4.04 xFIP, 1 bWAR, 0.6 fWAR

Rundown

With 476 saves, Kenley Jansen is one of the most accomplished closers in MLB history. He already has the fourth-most saves in league history, and 2026 could be the season he reaches 500 saves. Coming off a successful year as the closer for the Los Angeles Angels, he will likely be searching for a role with a team where he can earn those final 24 saves to get to 500.

Even at 38, Jansen still possesses one of the best cutters in the game. His +13 run value was only behind Drew Rasmussen last year, per Baseball Savant. With 18.8 iBV, 2.4 inches of horizontal break, and 2,602 RPM of spin last year, Jansen was able to generate a 25.3% whiff rate. Batters hit .164 with a .302 SLG against that pitch last year.

His cutter is not his only effective pitch, either. His sinker came in with plus movement at 18.9 iBV, 7.9 inches of horizontal break, and generated a 36.1% chase rate and 37.5% whiff rate. His slider came in at 83.9 MPH, almost a full 10 MPH slower than his cutter and sinker. It moves with 7.1 inches of glove side horizontal break with -3.1 inches of iBV, and while it did not generate much whiff at 25.6%, his 64% chase was elite. He also mixed in a sweeper 3.4% of the time, which generated an above-average 35.5% chase, but he only threw it in the zone 41.4% of the time, and it was his least effective pitch.

Overall, while Jansen’s pitch data looks strong, most of the under-the-hood results were around league average. His 28.6% chase rate was in the 51st percentile, his 25.8% whiff rate was in the 54th percentile, his 8.1% walk rate was in the 46th percentile, and his 8.9% barrel rate was in the 41st percentile. His 24.4% strikeout rate was in the 63rd percentile, and he does still have elite extension at 7 feet (92nd percentile), which helps his cutter and sinker play up with more perceived velocity.

This has also been the case for Jansen for a few years now. In the four years since leaving the Dodgers, Jansen has pitched to a 3.20 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with a 28.4% strikeout rate. If his cutter continues to be as elite as it has been, Jansen should be set up for another successful season in 2026.

Contract

MLB Trade Rumors did not project a contract for Jansen, but Spotrac lists his market value at one year and $13.7 million. This is in line with deals signed by Kirby Yates and Aroldis Chapman last offseason.

Recommendation: Worth Checking In

Now that Edwin Díaz has chosen another team, the Mets are in the market for more high-leverage relievers. With Devin Williams likely in the closer’s role, the Mets may be a hard sell for Jansen. The Mets could always have Williams pitch in a setup role with Jansen as the closer, but he may prefer to be on a team with less competition for the job.

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Passan said Schwarber, the 32-year-old designated hitter, who hit 56 homers and drove in 132 while finishing second in MVP voting, “might be the likeliest of the big free agents to sign first.” The baseball winter meetings start in six days.

“Unclear if something gets done before the winter meetings, but I’d be surprised if they end and he doesn’t have a team,” Passan wrote on Threads. The Phillies are the favorites to land Schwarber, but the Mets, Red Sox, Reds and others remain involved.

Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Tucker, 28, may not sign until 2026.

“At the end of the day, nobody can make a team better like Tucker, and whether it’s Toronto, Philadelphia, either New York team or perhaps one that misses out on the rest of the top players in the class, Tucker’s price will be met, and he’ll get a 10-year-plus deal for more than $300 million – with an even higher ceiling possible,” Passan wrote.

The Yankees want to keep Bellinger, but Trent Grisham accepting the qualifying offer has complicated things, according to Passan. The Yanks have a logjam in the outfield. The Mets, Dodgers, Phillies and others may look to pry him out of the Bronx, and like Schwarber, he may be among the earliest to sign.

He also said Valdez, arguably the best starter this offseason, is a fit for the Mets, and that a Tarik Skubal trade is looking “exceedingly unlikely.”

Then, Passan categorized a dozen players by their “likeliness to be traded.”

“The probably-won’t-go (Freddy Peralta, Hunter Greene, Byron Buxton, Steven Kwan), the will-they-be-traded (Ketel Marte, Jarren Duran, Joe Ryan, Pablo Lopez), and the where-will-they-go (Brendan Donovan, Luis Robert Jr., Jeff McNeil, Nolan Arenado).”

Regarding incumbent NL Reliever of the Year Edwin Díaz, Passan notes that the 31-year-old will wind up with the “heftiest deal” of fellow back-end relievers Robert Suarez, Pete Fairbanks and Devin Williams. Another free agent Met Passan discusses is slugging first baseman Pete Alonso. Pete had a career year and will likely garner the contract to back that up. Now he’s “waiting for a team to step to the forefront.”

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The Mets agreed to a one-year, $3.8 million contract with Tyrone Taylor to avoid arbitration. Taylor’s 2025 season was a disappointment as he owned just a .598 OPS, though he continued to bring stellar defense. Taylor is likely to begin 2026 as the Mets’ fourth outfielder, with the Mets actively seeking an upgrade over him in center field.

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Latest Mets News

The Mets made several roster moves Friday, including non-tendering Danny Young, Max Kranick and José Castillo.

Adam Ottavino criticized Carlos Mendoza on his podcast, saying he “has no idea what he’s doing when it comes to bullpen guys.”

Speaking on Pete Alonso‘s impending free agency, Mets pitcher Sean Manaea said: “I love Pete to death. He’s the man. Ultimately, I just want whatever’s going to be best for him and his family.”

Latest MLB News

Several notable players around the league were non-tendered Friday, including Adolis García and Jonah Heim.

Miami’s home stadium loanDepot Park is set to be home for La Gente Del Barrio Home Run Derby on Dec. 6. Players such as Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr. will be participating.

Former MLB All-Star Brady Anderson has been named as the Angels’ new hitting coach under new manager Kurt Suzuki.

The Cubs signed reliver and former Met Phil Maton to a two-year contract with a club option for a third year. Maton had a solid 2.79 ERA between the Rangers and Cardinals in 2025.

Jonathan India re-signed with the Royals on a one-year, $8 million contract. India had a .669 OPS in his first year in Kansas City.

Former Met James McCann signed a one-year contract with the Arizona Diamodnbacks. McCann spent 2025 in Arizona and had a .754 OPS in 42 games.

The Giants traded for outfielder Joey Wiemer, acquiring him from the Marlins for cash. Weimer had a .715 OPS in 61 plate appearances with the Marlins in 2025.

A 12,000 square-foot experience center showcasing the A’s upcoming ballpark in Las Vegas will open on December 2. The center will feature a ballpark model, seating concepts, and design showcases.

Johnny Flores Jr. of The Athletic wrote about Joey Gallo‘s career switch, attempting to go from hitter to pitcher.

Latest on MMO

Robert Colonna profiles reliever Luke Weaver as a potential free agent target for the Mets.

David Melendi breaks down what Justin Willard will bring to the Mets as pitching coach.

On This Date in Mets History

Born on This Date: Adam Ottavino (1985), Ricky Ledée (1973), Jay Payton (1972), Gene Walter (1960), Lee Guetterman (1958), Rich Chiles (1949).

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