The Mets season isn’t exactly where we all wanted it to be, sitting a brutal 14 games under .500 and way out of a Wild Card spot, 12 games behind as of August 27. With the club 19 games back in the NL East, any talk of 2026 playoff aspirations is definitely too late. But hold up, because even if “next year” is the vibe right now, there are still some absolutely massive storylines unfolding as this season winds down, from rookies making history to prospects showing out for a spot in 2027.
Young Guns Are Pushing The Limits
Forget about the standings for a second, because Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, and Zac Thornton are putting together some seriously promising seasons on the mound. These guys are either already pushing past or are right on the verge of blowing past their previous career highs in innings pitched. And the Mets aren’t about to just shut them down, which is huge! Seeing how they handle this uncharted territory is gonna be a massive indicator of how much volume we can expect from this trio in 2027. You know Andy Green is watching every single pitch for player development, and so are we. This is the kind of grit you love to see from young arms.
Lindor’s Defense: What’s Going On?
Okay, we gotta talk about Lindor. His absence for parts of the season, and honestly, his defensive struggles when he was on the field, have been a critical piece of this team’s downward spiral. For the previous four seasons, the dude was a machine, rocking an OPS+ over 120 and an Outs Above Average in the 89th-percentile or better. That’s elite, right? This year, his offense took a dip with a 109 OPS+, but his defense absolutely plummeted, falling to the 30th-percentile in OAA. He made some super uncharacteristic mental mistakes early on, too. But listen, if he keeps flashing that Platinum Glove leather like he did in the ninth inning against the Brewers on Tuesday night, maybe, just maybe, he can prove those metrics were just an aberration. We’re talking about a former Platinum Glove winner here, he’s gotta turn it around.
Will Benge Make Mets History?
This is where it gets really exciting. Carson Benge is not just playing ball, he’s putting on a show, and we’re all watching to see just how many records he can smash. Could he become the first Mets rookie to hit a 20/20 season? That would be insane! And what about Mookie Wilson’s rookie record of 24 stolen bases? Benge is seriously gunning for that. We also gotta keep an eye on A.J. Ewing, who could also challenge for that honor. Not only that, but Benge is out there making history with his dazzling outfield assists, making teams think twice about running on him. Every move he makes this next month is pure theater. We need to see if all this epic play is enough to close the WAR gap between him and JJ Wetherholt.
What’s next? The rest of September is all about these storylines. Every single game for the Mets is now a chance to see who’s gonna be a part of the future in 2027.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Amazin’ Avenue.
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