In the waning months of the Mets’ lost season, owner Steve Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns acknowledged the flaws of last offseason’s dramatic roster overhaul.
Cohen said the Mets “might have taken too much risk.”
All of the changes created an “uncapped downside scenario,” Stearns suggested.
The result was a team plagued by injury and inconsistency, culminating in a 74-88 record, a last-place finish in the National League East and a second straight year in which the Mets missed the postseason.
Now, the Mets begin a pivotal offseason in which tension among the fan base is high and expectations for a turnaround hang over every move.
The Mets already hired a manager, removing Andy Green’s interim tag and signing him to a three-year contract. A core of Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, Carson Benge, Nolan McLean and A.J. Ewing provides a nice on-field foundation.
But this team is far from a finished product, and with baseball’s collective bargaining agreement set to expire on Dec. 1 — and a work stoppage practically guaranteed to follow — there’s an extra layer of uncertainty to navigate this winter.
With all of that in mind, these are the biggest questions of the Mets’ offseason:
WILL THEY HIRE A GENERAL MANAGER?
The Mets haven’t had a GM since October 2023, when Billy Eppler stepped down amid an MLB investigation into his use of the injured list — an exit that preceded his season-long suspension.
Eppler’s departure came days after Stearns was hired to lead the front office.
In the years since, Stearns has never ruled out hiring a general manager, a sentiment he recently reiterated.
But the question carries additional intrigue after Cohen, in a September appearance on SNY, said the Mets would look to add “certain voices” to the front office to support Stearns.
“It doesn’t have to be a GM,” Cohen said.
“It could be other ways to support David and the front office,” Cohen said. “I think the whole point is [to] get more opinions in the front office and people who are pretty good at either evaluating talent or people who have been in those positions before — high positions in the front office.”
The Mets have since hired Derek Falvey, formerly the Minnesota Twins president of baseball operations, as a senior advisor to baseball operations.
WILL BO BICHETTE OPT OUT?
When Bichette signed a three-year, $126 million contract with annual opt-outs last winter, the expectation was that the two-time All-Star would re-enter the free agent market this offseason.
Fast forward to present day, and it appears much more likely that Bichette won’t exercise his opt-out and will thus remain a Met for at least one more season.
That’s because Bichette, 28, is coming off of a down year in which he hit .260 with 18 home runs and a .702 OPS.
A brutal start doomed his overall numbers, as Bichette batted .289 with 13 homers and a .784 OPS over his final 99 games.
But it’s difficult to imagine Bichette topping the $42 million owed to him next season, and if he returns to his All-Star form in 2027, he can opt out next winter.
A converted shortstop, Bichette posted 1 Out Above Average, a range-based advanced defensive metric, in his first season at third base. But he was worth -8 Defensive Runs Saved, which is an all-encompassing metric.
His decision will have ripple effects, as Bichette opting out would free up considerable money for the Mets to use elsewhere but would also remove a middle-of-the-order bat — and bounce-back candidate — from their lineup.
WILL THEY PURSUE TARIK SKUBAL?
Under Stearns, the Mets have not signed starting pitchers to long-term, big-money commitments, but they did show a willingness to make an exception for Yoshinobu Yamamoto in 2023 before he chose the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Could they be willing to make an exception for Skubal?
The circumstances are different — Yamamoto was 25 when he signed a 12-year, $325 million deal with L.A., while Skubal turns 30 next month.
But Skubal is MLB’s premier left-handed ace, winning back-to-back American League Cy Young Awards with the Detroit Tigers in 2024 and 2025 before putting together another excellent season (2.83 ERA, 186 strikeouts in 158.2 innings) with the Tigers and Dodgers in 2026.
A Scott Boras client, Skubal is expected to land a historic contract, with projections starting well north of $300 million and some even predicting it could approach $500 million.
But the Mets are one of the few teams capable of playing in the ballpark, and a true ace would change everything for their rotation, taking some of the pressure and workload off of their promising young arms.
The Dodgers are the favorites to retain Skubal, and whomever signs him must be comfortable with his left elbow, which had loose bodies removed during a May procedure.
WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF THE ROTATION?
With a 3.16 ERA and 194 strikeouts in 179.2 innings, the 25-year-old McLean delivered a successful first full season in the majors and will remain a focal point of the rotation.
The same should go for right-hander Christian Scott, 27, who posted a 3.85 ERA and 134 strikeouts in 110 innings in his return from Tommy John surgery.
After that, there are no sure things in the Mets’ rotation plans.
Left-hander Zac Thornton, 24, made his case with a 3.42 ERA in 15 starts as a rookie, showcasing a versatile pitch mix to overcome a lack of velocity.
While well-regarded, Thornton wasn’t the same level of prospect as McLean or Scott. He had only 63 strikeouts in 84.1 innings in the majors but demonstrated an ability to provide quality length.
It was a roller-coaster year for top prospect Jonah Tong, 23, who struggled to a 4.54 ERA in 23 Triple-A starts but finished strong and went 2-2 with a 3.82 ERA in seven appearances in the majors.
Meanwhile, veteran left-hander Sean Manaea (4.78 ERA in 150.2 innings) is entering the final season of his three-year, $75 million contract.
The Mets will surely add to this group. Beyond McLean, Scott and any external additions, there could be at least one spot up for grabs going into spring training.
CAN THEY SOLIDIFY FIRST BASE?
That’s been the question since the Mets allowed fan-favorite slugger Pete Alonso to leave for a five-year, $155 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles.
While Alonso delivered a typical season with the O’s — leading the AL with 43 home runs and 113 RBI — the Mets lacked production and continuity at the position all year.
Jorge Polanco was a non-entity in the first season of his two-year, $40 million contract, making only two appearances at first base before injuries relegated him to designated hitter duty.
Polanco, 33, hit just .148 with two homers in 37 games before undergoing season-ending ankle surgery in August.
Neither Mark Vientos (.652 OPS) nor Brett Baty (.685 OPS) established himself as the solution there, while lefty-swinging Jared Young is more of a platoon bat.
All four remain under team control, but there’s a good chance next year’s Opening Day first baseman is not on the current roster. Ty France, Jake Bauers and Paul Goldschmidt are among the upcoming free agents.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR KODAI SENGA?
Senga prefers to be in the rotation, but the 2023 All-Star struggled mightily in that role last year, going 0-7 with a 9.66 ERA in eight starts.
The 33-year-old Senga found new life over the final two months of the season, when the Mets began deploying the right-hander as a one-inning, high-leverage reliever.
Over that stretch, Senga pitched to a 3.78 ERA and averaged 11.88 strikeouts per nine innings over 18 appearances, going 8-for-9 in save opportunities.
In shorter stints, Senga was able to narrow his pitch mix down to a fastball that touches 100 mph and his swing-and-miss forkball.
As Senga enters the final season of his five-year, $75 million contract, it makes sense to use the veteran as a set-up man to closer Devin Williams — especially after the Mets traded away four prominent relievers in August.
