The New York Mets are officially watching October from home, again. For the second straight season, baseball’s second-highest payroll will be on the couch when the playoffs start. Their Monday loss to Pete Alonso’s Baltimore Orioles sealed the deal, ending any glimmer of a postseason run after another profoundly disappointing year.
The Collapse Was Brutal, and the Blame Is Everywhere
Man, this Mets season was a rough ride from the jump. They started 2026 terribly, played poorly through the middle of summer, then showed just enough late-season life to make you wonder, “What if?” But it was too little, too late. When Pete Alonso came back to Citi Field with the O’s, even he had to comment on his former squad. “You can’t necessarily predict things and have things work out in a perfect manner sometimes,” Alonso said. “Sometimes you have a lot of talent and it just doesn’t work out for whatever reason. Just based on experience, I think in the future they’re going to be fine.” That’s a pretty diplomatic way to say, “Yikes, what happened?” And he is not wrong. A lot went wrong. Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto both spent multiple stints on the injured list. Clay Holmes broke his leg. Kodai Senga was hurt and ineffective. And the so-called “next generation” of homegrown talent like Francisco Alvarez, Brett Baty, and Mark Vientos? They again failed to take that next step, with Baty and Vientos possibly playing their way out of Queens entirely. Even the farm system took a hit.
David Stearns’ Offseason Was a Total Disaster, Period
If you want to know where the real trouble started, look no further than POBO David Stearns. His offseason moves were, simply put, one of the worst any executive has made in recent memory. Every single pickup was an L, plain and simple. Bo Bichette, a free agent signing for three years and $126 million, posted only 1.6 WAR. Freddy Peralta, traded from the Brewers, gave them 1.1 WAR before getting shipped off to the Rays. Luke Weaver, another free agent for two years and $22 million, managed 1.0 WAR before being traded to the Pirates. Even Devin Williams, who cost them three years and $51 million, only put up 0.7 WAR. Then there are the guys who actively hurt them: Luis Robert Jr., acquired via trade, produced a paltry 0.5 WAR before getting claimed on waivers by the Orioles. Marcus Semien, traded from the Rangers, put up a -0.2 WAR. But the biggest head-scratcher? Replacing a franchise icon like Alonso with Jorge Polanco, a free agent for two years and $40 million, who logged a dismal -1.4 WAR. Polanco had never played first base, and had only been healthy and productive for about five months in the previous three seasons. That move was a colossal error before he even took the field.
So, what’s next? David Stearns has a whole winter to fix this mess. With the calendar flipping to 2027, the pressure is on to prove that second-highest payroll can actually buy a winning team.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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