With Soto in tow, the Mets chase outfield talent. Can Robert Jr., Doyle, or a prospect solidify the lineup for a 2026 pennant push?
After a disastrous end to the 2025 season that saw them slip out of postseason contention in the final days of the season, the New York Mets are hungry for a bounce-back in 2026. It won’t be an easy task, however, as there were significant issues in their roster last season that contributed to the collapse.
Starting pitching failed New York in the second half, and the president of baseball operations, David Stearns, has his work cut out for him in rebuilding the rotation. Even with its issues, the rotation may not even be the biggest need for the Mets this offseason.
In a recent Bleacher Report article, Joel Reuter tabbed the outfield in New York to be the team’s biggest hole to fill this winter. As of now, Juan Soto spearheads the Mets' outfield with Tyrone Taylor and top prospect Carson Benge likely to be the complementary pieces.
Taylor provides the Mets with a defensive specialist who can hold down center field, although he doesn’t provide great value at the plate. His 89th percentile fielding run value in 2025 makes his .598 OPS seem more manageable in a lineup with names like Soto and Francisco Lindor. It is worth noting that last season was especially bad for Taylor, who has typically stayed around league average in OPS in the previous five seasons.
With the loss of notable bats like Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, and Jeff McNeil, the Mets may not be able to take the gamble on hoping Taylor can return to a league-average hitter. If Taylor isn’t the guy for New York’s center field, there are a few available players who would be good fits to play alongside Soto.
The Chicago White Sox have been looking to shop center fielder Luis Robert Jr., who has shown flashes of being a top outfielder in baseball. In 2023, he posted a 5.3 WAR for Chicago before following it up with back-to-back seasons of not-so-amazing 1.4 WAR baseball. The 28-year-old has the tools to be one of baseball’s best and could provide the Mets with a buy-low option with huge upside.
Brenton Doyle of the Colorado Rockies could also be a target fr Stearns and the Mets. Like Taylor, however, his defensive abilities far outweigh his production at the plate. If the Mets want a more well-rounded player to put next to Soto, Robert Jr. would be an ideal fit. If they want a low-cost defensive-minded player, Doyle or even sticking with Taylor could be the man in the center next season.
New York will likely give their No. 2 prospect Benge a shot in the outfield next season as they attempt to spend their money in filling out other areas of their roster. He's recorded an OPS of .857 in back-to-back minor league seasons. However, his struggles in Triple-A last season may entice the Mets to want to add a reliable corner outfielder as they pursue the postseason once again.
The obvious corner outfield targets for New York are Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger, who remain free agents as January approaches. With Tucker’s market value sitting around $400 million and Bellinger’s at about $182 million, both players would demand a steep price for the Mets.
It’s not like owner Steve Cohen and New York haven’t shown a willingness to spend hundreds of millions on one player in the past, however. Perhaps he’d be willing to do it again to pair last winter’s $765 million signing of Soto with a proven outfielder ready to help take the Mets back to the postseason in 2026.