A.J. Ewing
Pop Quiz: Why did the 2026 New York Mets falter? While people want to blame things like losing Pete Alonso, the truth is the 2026 Mets faltered due to injuries.
Francisco Lindor’s injury was devastating, especially with no real Plan B available at the position. Juan Soto’s keg injuries hurt the lineup. Clay Holmes broken leg killed the rotation.
There are more, but that’s the point. There’s only so many injuries a team can sustain before faltering. However faltering one year doesn’t necessitate faltering the next.
Right off the bat, the Mets rotation looks to be in good shape. Here are the promising young arms set to pitch in 2027:
That’s 3/5 of the rotation figured out. The renaissance of Sean Manaea puts them in better shape, and they can always look to bring back Holmes are sign another veteran.
Their outfield from left to right will be Soto – A.J. Ewing – Carson Benge. That’s an all under 30 outfield with speed and power. It’s a very impressive group.
At catcher, the Mets have Francisco Álvarez and Luis Torrens. Alvarez seems to finally becoming the power bat behind the plate he’s always promised to be. Torrens is a great defensive back-up with a bit of a clutch gene.
The infield is a bit of a problem. They’re at least secured on the left side with Lindor and Bo Bichette, who will likely opt in for the rest of his contract.
We know Brett Baty is not part of a solution. Marcus Semien probably isn’t either. Now, if the Mets pick up Luis Robert Jr’s option, Ewing could slide to second. Let’s see how he finishes the season before we go here.
The Mark Vientos and Jorge Polanco injuries leave 1B and DH unsettled. Long story short, the Mets need to rebuild the first side of the infield. Hopefully, one of them takes off giving us some peace of mind heading into next year.
The Mets are having open tryouts for the 2027 bullpen. We also know David Stearns has been adept at building bullpens making this a little less of a concern.
All told, the Mets are very good in most spots. There is a good foundation here with money to spend. Rather than be doom and gloom, Mets fans should focus on the very good pieces here.
The Mets can now see who can be a part of the 2027 team and beyond. They have the means to address their deficiencies. They will contend in 2027.
Until August 3, the New York Mets are in a somewhat precarious spot. They need to be showcasing their potentially movable players while making sure their young stars stay in the lineup.
Short of a needed day off, Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing have to play. Benge is the right fielder and should never play another position.
As for Ewing, it’s complicated a bit. He’s looked like the center fielder of the future. He has elite speed and can cover a lot of ground.
The problem is when he’s in center Luis Robert Jr. won’t be. Right now, Robert needs to be in center to showcase him for the trade deadline. It’s better to move him now than lose him for nothing when they will have to decline his $20 million team option.
Fortunately, Ewing is versatile. He can play second base. There’s a problem there because the Mets also need to try to showcase Marcus Semien.
Look odds are no one wants Semien and his horrendous contract. Semien isn’t hitting or playing defense. However, if he gets hot, maybe, just maybe, the Mets can get someone to take him.
It’s a delicate balancing act, but the Mets absolutely have to have Ewing in the lineup everyday. They have to do that while simultaneously getting as much playing time for Robert and Semien as possible.
It’s a near impossible situation.
That situation is complicated by the Mets insistence on playing Brett Baty and Jared Young.
Baty has a career 84 wRC+. He has a 75 wRC+ this season. He’s a poor fielder with a poor arm. Looking at his stats, he looks like a non-tender candidate, not a lineup mainstay.
But, he never comes out of the lineup. It’s at the point where he played right field in place of Benge. Baty would misplay a routine fly ball. As a result, Christian Scott couldn’t escape the jam and would eventually lose the game.
Being fair, Baty is 26. It’s possible a team could overvalue Baty’s 2025 outlier season and try to trade for him. If that’s a reason to keep playing him, fine. It’s justified.
Just keep him at first because it’s not like anyone is blocking him there.
The Mets are enamored with Jared Young at first. He plays there everyday. It’s completely bizarre.
Young is 31. He has a career 107 wRC+. He’s a platoon bat. He’s been solid at first with a 2 OAA with zero recorded scoops.
It’s fine having Young on the roster. He serves a purpose. He’s a platoon bat with some pop. He just can’t play right now. Playing him is completely and utterly pointless. Worse yet, it’s detrimental.
Benge and Ewing have to play everyday. The Mets need to hope Robert and Semien get hot and attract someone to at least take the contract. Hopefully, the Mets get lucky, and someone takes Baty.
No one is chasing down Young. Even if they’re interested, the Mets are not getting any value for him. Playing him more works counter to the Mets objectives.
Playing Young before August 3 is malpractice. It leads to Benge in left and Baty in right. It’s dumb and counterproductive. It needs to end now.
The 2026 New York Mets season is one of the most soul crushing for fans. Fans seemed willing to believe despite being skeptical of the offseason, we all seemed ready to believe after the offense knocked Paul Skenes out in the first inning on Opening Day.
Since then, Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, and Luis Robert Jr. suffered major injuries. Juan Soto would also be hurt for a stretch.
The pitching has completely fallen apart. Unless you’re named Luke Weaver, you’re worse than you were last year. Really, everything is worse than it was last year.
It’s so bad Carlos Mendoza was fired. Worse yet, rather than watch, Keith Hernandez would rather talk about how his family line is dying than this Mets team.
Just about the only good thing about this Mets season has been Carson Benge and AJ Ewing That’s it. Well, that, and we haven’t really had to watch.
The New York Knicks captivated us with their first championship since 1973. It was an epic run we will be talking about for years to come.
Discussions for the 1973 parallels for this Mets season will have to wait for another day. Whatever the case, we have 13 years until the Mets hit the Knicks 53 year title drought, and 14 to match the New York Rangers 54 year drought.
After the Knicks run, we got the World Cup. The USMNT captivated the country until their disappointing exit against Belgium. Still, soccer has captivated this country in a way we never believed soccer could.
The World Cup Final is July 19. The All Star Break is upcoming, and when the World Cup ends, we will be one series into the second half of the season.
That means all the attention can then be shifted to the Mets.
Yes, we all watch every game. We’ve had the Mets game on in another screen during the Knicks and World Cup. Mets fans love this team even when they don’t deserve it.
However, we have been able to mentally get away. Instead of focusing on the Mets pitching, we got to watch Jalen Brunson. Instead of focusing on how the Baby Mets have regressed, we got to fall in love with Folarin Balogun.
Very soon, that’s all away. The Mets will be out complete unfettered focus. We check back in with our full attention ahead of the Mets being one of the few sellers at the trade deadline.
The distractions were very much needed this year much like in 1994, the last time the US hosted the World Cup. However, no Mets fan wants to want a distraction.
We need this team to be run well and be competitive in an era where nearly half the league makes the postseason. This season should have been better, and the Mets should have been ready to take the mantle from the Knicks and/or the USMNT.
This as depressing a Mets season as you can have. It’s about to get worse because we will have nothing else until the NFL season begins.
It is unfair to say New York Mets fans who had given up faith were overreacting. The start of the season could not have gone worse, and it was on the heels of another late season collapse.
Mets fans who don’t believe now are not overreacting. This team is in last place with a 17-25 record. The Atlanta Braves have the best record in baseball, and the Philadelphia Phillies have righted the ship after elevating Don Mattingly to manager.
Still, the Mets are in a good spot right now. They are playing better baseball, and even with the Francisco Álvarez torn meniscus, things are calming down. We can say that after Juan Soto’s x-rays came back negative.
On the pitching front, the Mets have the third best FIP in baseball and second in the National League. They’re fourth in K/9 and eighth in ERA.
They’re doing well from a pitching perspective, and we see there is still some upside from the current staff. You win with pitching, and the Mets are pitching well.
We’re seeing some bats come alive. Mark Vientos has been better, and we’re starting to see some red on his Baseball Savant page. Carson Benge has figured out Major League hitting. A.J. Ewing looks like a big threat out there.
Bo Bichette snapped a long 0-fer streak. We’re heading to the time of the year both he and the rest of this team take off. With health luck from Soto, the Mets offense is about to put together a big stretch.
Really, this team is in a position where they can get to .500 or better by the All-Star Break. After that, Francisco Lindor and Alvarez come back as the Mets will be primed to make some damage.
Remember, no more west coast trips. They will have 35 games against teams currently under .500. They will get six cracks at the Braves. This is a schedule you can see a 2016 or 2024 type run emerging.
The 2026 season started worse than we could’ve imagined. At times, the Mets appeared snakebit. One player returns and another leaves.
And yet, despite that, the young players are energizing the team. They’re pitching very well. The bats are coming around with great players coming back. The schedule is set up for success.
The Mets are fine and will be competing for the postseason this year.