Losing superstars but landing Bichette and Semien, the Mets' aggressive offseason reshapes their lineup and defense for 2026.
The 2026 New York Mets will look plenty different than the 2025 team that squandered a postseason appearance following a major collapse in the second half of the regular season. They’ve made significant additions to their roster, but have also lost key players this offseason. For their efforts, they’ve been placed in the ‘trying something new’ tier in Chad Jennings’ recent piece in The Athletic.
New York is just one of two teams in the tier, along with the Chicago Cubs. The Mets may have seen the most roster shakeup this winter, following a flurry of free agent deals, trades, and losses. Their placement in the ‘trying something new’ tier is much deserved for how the front office has tackled this offseason.
The offseason started with the loss of two superstars in first baseman Pete Alonso and closer Edwin Diaz. Alonso joined the Baltimore Orioles on a $155 million deal, while Diaz joined the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers on a $69 million deal himself. Both Alonso and Diaz had played significant parts in the Mets’ success in the last eight or so years. With them leaving in free agency, the Mets front office had to find a way to replace their talents while also adding additional pieces to make up for what they lacked in 2025.
Luckily for Mets fans, they’ve been doing just that so far. They brought in star infielder Bo Bichette in light of Alonso leaving the field, although they play two different positions. On a three-year, $126 million deal, the Mets landed one of the best bats in the league without committing long-term.
They also signed Jorge Polanco for $40 million to fill in for Alonso at first base. Though he’s never been an everyday first baseman, the Mets’ plans with Polanco are to have him be just that. Even if he struggles adjusting to the position at first, his 134 OPS+ bat will surely make up for any complications along the way.
New York made the infield a priority this offseason, also trading for second baseman Marcus Semien. The Mets traded outfielder Brandon Nimmo for the 35-year-old in a move meant to strengthen the club’s defense, which was labeled as a priority for New York.
Signing relievers Devin Williams and Luke Weaver certainly helps make the Diaz departure easier to swallow, but it’s difficult to imagine a Mets closer coming out for a save without a show, as Diaz always brought to Queens. Results-wise, however, they should do just fine with their new bullpen signings.
Even with the roster shakeup they’ve already seen, the Mets are still working. The starting rotation needs some help after last season, and the outfield is looking dangerously thin, but there’s still plenty of talented options available. Mets fans are being treated to a new team in 2026, and that may be exactly what was needed for the team after years of underachieving.