The 2026 MLB Season and the Mets’ Struggles

The 2026 Major League Baseball season is already more than halfway through, which really underscores how hard it is to predict outcomes in this sport.

Take the New York Mets, for example.

They’re one of the wealthiest teams in baseball. Since billionaire owner Steve Cohen took over in 2020, he’s aimed to create a top-tier organization by combining significant financial resources with a strong front office. From the 2022 season onwards, the Mets invested $1.671 billion in player salaries—more than any other team, surpassing even the Los Angeles Dodgers.

They inked a massive 10-year, $341 million contract with star shortstop Francisco Lindor and signed Max Scherzer to one of the highest average annual contracts in history. Near the end of the 2023 season, Cohen recruited Dave Stearns from the Milwaukee Brewers, hoping to revamp the front office. Stearns had previously turned the Brewers into regular contenders, despite the challenges of operating in a small market.

However, despite being the biggest spenders in baseball over the last five seasons, the Mets have only participated in two postseason games. They faced the Padres in the 2022 Wild Card Series and the Dodgers in the 2024 NLCS. Last season, they finished a disappointing 29 games behind first place, recording just 75 wins against 87 losses, regardless of all that star power and cash flow. Starting in 2024, Stearns and Cohen added Juan Soto with a deal potentially worth $765 million, which could exceed $800 million over 15 years.

So, what’s the outcome? After a regular season that saw 83 wins against 79 losses, they again missed the playoffs in 2025.

This year, rather than keeping a similar roster, Stearns initiated an entire overhaul. Pete Alonso moved to the Baltimore Orioles, and Brandon Nimmo was traded to the Texas Rangers for Marcus Semien. The team also brought in Freddy Peralta from Milwaukee, added closers like Devin Williams, and acquired Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco after their impressive seasons, as well as Luke Weaver and Luis Robert Jr.

The results? Well, as of Tuesday, the Mets had the worst record in the National League, just slightly ahead of the Colorado Rockies. They were trailing by 60 points, positioned 15 games behind the Braves, stuck at the bottom of the NL East with just a 2% chance at the postseason, according to FanGraphs.

This is, to put it mildly, a disaster—a staggering $370 million disaster. Recently, baseball writer Jon Heyman suggested that the Mets might be preparing for a “deadline sale.” He indicated that it’s time for the Mets to start trading away players, recommending that almost everyone should be on the block except a few key names.

Notably absent from that list are players like Bichette, Robert Jr., Peralta, Williams, and of course Lindor. Addressing any of these individuals would signify a massive admission of failure, but it raises an important question. How much are these players truly worth?

Bichette has struggled this season, and he’s committed to $84 million over the next two years, almost guaranteed because of his player option. Lindor has spent much of this season sidelined due to injury and hasn’t performed well. Similarly, Robert has been out for a chunk of the season and wasn’t impressive when he did play.

But genuine sellers aren’t always easy to find, and if the Mets want to bring in a star player, a few teams might take on some salary to gain a competitive edge. Although Cohen has stated a desire to keep Lindor, he may also consider that after spending extensively without fruitful results, a complete rebuild could be the necessary path forward.

While the 32-year-old Lindor could yield a decent return, it may not meet fans’ expectations, especially given the size of his contract. The same applies to Bichette, whose hefty wage and player options may deter potential interest. Yet, it doesn’t take much for players to regain form and turn into key contributors again for a playoff push.

It’s hard to fathom how they’ve come to this juncture. The Mets were projected to be the East Coast equivalent of the Dodgers—a blend of lucrative contracts and organizational skill. Instead, they seem poised for another October spent at home, still searching for their first division title since 2015.

Money can buy a lot of things. But, as the 2026 Mets are proving, it doesn’t guarantee success.