This story was excerpted from Anthony DiComo’s Mets Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
NEW YORK -- Although he was alive for it, just barely, David Stearns was far too young to have any memories of the Mets’ last World Series title in 1986.
“It’s definitely been too long,” Stearns said Wednesday, on the eve of the team’s 39th consecutive Opening Day without a banner ceremony in Queens. “I feel that as much as anyone.”
Should the Mets break their four-decade dry streak in 2026, it will be in large part because of Stearns, one of the most important people in the organization heading into Opening Day. With that in mind, I’d like to use today’s newsletter to highlight the seven most essential Mets -- beginning with their president of baseball operations.
1. David Stearns
Stearns’ first season in charge was everything the Mets had hoped, as nearly all his acquisitions looked prescient throughout a magical summer. His second try was not quite so rosy, resulting in the Mets missing the playoffs and the dismissal of nearly the entire coaching staff. Now, the pressure is squarely on Stearns, who gambled this offseason by blowing up the core, enduring fan backlash before reloading with the January acquisitions of Bo Bichette, Luis Robert Jr. and Freddy Peralta. It needs to work if Stearns wants to keep the heat off himself.
2. Juan Soto
Soto is the Mets’ most important player because he is their best player. His ceiling, in fact, is that of the best player in baseball, which is why it’s no surprise that Soto is motivated to win an MVP. Given the departures of Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo, the Mets will look to Soto more than ever to anchor their lineup, particularly in the power department. During rough patches, they may even need him to carry them. And while Soto may never be the primary leader in the clubhouse, his influence is obvious and should only expand during his second year with the franchise.
3. Francisco Lindor
There’s a reason why Lindor’s Feb. 11 hand surgery was so concerning. As much as Soto is the most important player in this offense, Lindor is still right there with him. Following a difficult start to his Mets tenure, Lindor has finished in the Top 10 in National League MVP Award voting each of the past four seasons. He’s getting older now, entering his age-32 campaign. The longer Lindor can stave off Father Time -- and, specifically, the types of injuries that tend to pop up for players his age -- the better the Mets will be.
4. Nolan McLean
There’s a real chance that Peralta, the Mets’ most accomplished pitcher, will only spend one year in Flushing. That places increased importance upon McLean, who’s under team control for six more seasons and could leapfrog Peralta on the depth chart as soon as this year. His potential is truly that high, as evidenced by his 2.06 ERA over eight starts last season. McLean, ranked by MLB Pipeline as New York’s top prospect, has both the skill and the demeanor to become a superstar. He still has plenty to prove before reaching that point, and the Mets have lots of pitching depth behind him if he fails. But failure is not on the radar of the team’s best pitching prospect in more than a decade.
5. Carson Benge
The Mets made the obvious decision in handing the keys to right field to Benge, a 23-year-old rookie with only 24 games of experience above Double-A. While they don’t necessarily need their No. 2 prospect to succeed for this to be a productive season, especially considering his high floor as a defensive contributor, it sure would help. The team hasn’t developed an everyday outfielder since Nimmo a decade ago. Even though these things never seem to work out the way teams envision, a long-term Mets outfield of Soto, Benge and No. 4 prospect A.J. Ewing looks awfully good on paper. Before that can happen, Benge must prove he’s the real deal.
6. Justin Willard
After last season, the Mets dismissed pitching coach Jeremy Hefner and replaced him with Willard, a highly regarded 35-year-old whose goal is to shepherd this staff back to dominance. How much of what happened last year, though, was Hefner’s fault? Can Willard fix Kodai Senga (who looked great in Spring Training) and Sean Manaea (who didn’t)? Can he guide McLean to stardom? Will his presence make much of a difference at all? It was a gamble to let Hefner walk, even before he hooked on with the rival Braves. As such, there’s lots of pressure on Willard to be better.
7. Devin Williams
You never want to talk much about the closer. If Williams is thriving, no one will pay him much heed. But if he’s not? Just imagine a world in which fans spend the summer wondering why the Mets didn’t re-sign Edwin Díaz, who is too good to fail in Los Angeles. It wouldn’t be a great situation for Williams, who might start feeling even more pressure than he did last year in the Bronx. It certainly wouldn’t be a great situation for the team, which needs a solid bullpen to succeed. The good news is that if anyone can handle this sort of tension, it’s one of the most talented relievers in baseball. The Mets need Williams to prove it.