ORLANDO, Fla. -- This was not the Winter Meetings most Mets fans envisioned.
Over three days in Orlando, the Mets did not acquire a single Major League player. Instead, they watched franchise icon Pete Alonso head to the Orioles on a five-year, $155 million contract, and fan favorite Edwin Díaz move to the rival Dodgers on a three-year, $69 million pact. As a result, a team that missed the playoffs has become definitively worse.
But that doesn’t mean the Mets will enter next season in a diminished state. Far from it. Plenty of top-tier free agents remain unsigned, and the Mets should have interest in just about all of them. President of baseball operations David Stearns also figures to remain active in the trade market, with clear needs in the outfield, at first base, in his rotation and in the bullpen.
Mets officials would urge fans to reserve judgment until the offseason is complete. The front office expects to be hyperactive over the coming months, with numerous spots to fill. The fact that the Mets left Orlando emptyhanded does not mean they’ll go 0-for-the-offseason.
BIGGEST REMAINING NEEDS
Despite everything that happened this week, the Mets’ top need remains unchanged: They must improve a rotation that cratered in the second half, resulting in them missing the playoffs. It’s unclear whether that will happen via a big free-agent signing, a blockbuster trade for an ace, or a series of more subtle moves. But it’s obvious the Mets are pursuing starting pitching help.
Beyond the rotation, the losses of Alonso and Brandon Nimmo -- who was traded to the Rangers in November -- leave the Mets with more than 60 home runs to replace. Top free agents like Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger remain possibilities for the outfield, while Japanese first basemen Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto could also be options. But as with the rotation, the Mets could also move more subtly in this space. We’ll know much more over the next month or so.
Finally, the Mets must build out their bullpen. Their recent signing of Devin Williams covers them in the ninth inning, but left-handers A.J. Minter and Brooks Raley are the only markers of stability beyond him. The Mets have consistently been linked to former Padres closer Robert Suarez, who could theoretically set up Williams. Without Díaz, however, the Mets need to bring in multiple relievers.
HE SAID IT
During his media session on Monday, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza addressed a spate of topics ranging from the departure of key players to the dismantling of his coaching staff to reports of clubhouse discord. He attributed them all to losing -- not the other way around.
“When you don’t play well, that happens, right?” Mendoza said. “A team that had so much expectation, and we didn’t even make it to the playoffs. Free agents, coaches [left] -- but here we are. We have a really good opportunity, and you just have to embrace the challenge. I’m excited about that.”
DRAFT LOTTERY
The Mets did not get lucky enough to land a protected Top 6 pick, which meant their first selection in the 2026 Draft was docked 10 spots as penalty for exceeding Major League Baseball’s second Competitive Balance Tax threshold. As a result, the Mets will pick 27th overall in next year’s Draft.
RULE 5 DRAFT
The Mets did not select or lose any players in the Major League phase of this year’s Rule 5 Draft. Several prospects they left exposed, including former first-round pick Kevin Parada, remained in the organization.
MORE FROM THIS WEEK
- The biggest story of the Winter Meetings was Alonso’s $155 million agreement with the Orioles. The Mets never even made Alonso a formal contract offer, which spoke volumes about how they are proceeding under Stearns.
- Similarly, while the Mets did send an offer Díaz’s way, it wasn’t enough to entice the closer to return.
- Jeff Kent, who played five early seasons with the Mets, was elected to the Hall of Fame on Sunday. He’ll formally enter Cooperstown next summer.
GM’S BOTTOM LINE
“I’m very optimistic about where our offseason is headed,” Stearns said. “We’ve certainly got work to do, but there are a lot of good players out there, and I am confident that we’re really going to like where our team is once we get to Opening Day.