2025 was a massive disappointment for the New York Mets. After a huge offseason highlighted by the signing of phenom Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million contract, the Mets had aspirations for World Series contention. That goal wasn’t too far-fetched since the Mets came off an NLCS appearance and had the offensive talent to win games.

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2025 looked promising after a 45-24 start. However, the injury bug struck the pitching staff: Kodai Senga missed time with a hamstring injury, and Frankie Montas was sidelined with a UCL injury in his right elbow. The rotation gave up at least five runs per game in the later parts of the season, while the offense usually failed to support the pitching.

New York’s collapse can also be pinned on David Stearns, whose decision-making was flawed: Stearns relied too much on “discount” pitchers because of his cost-effective approach. The Mets would finish 2025 at 83-79, losing the tiebreaker to the Cincinnati Reds for the final playoff spot.

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The Mets placed 14th in the majors last year in batting average, hitting .249 – they also hit 224 home runs and 746 RBIs. The rotation recorded a 4.03 ERA, placing them 18th in the majors. All Mets pitchers combined for 1,387 strikeouts while surrendering 715 hits.

Pete Alonso hit 38 home runs in 2025 and batted in 126 RBIs on a .272 batting average. Soto led the team in home runs with 43, while Francisco Lindor led in hits, recording 172 in 160 games. Starling Marte hit .270 last season, while Brandon Nimmo recorded a .262 batting average. Ex-Yankees pitcher Clay Holmes recorded a 3.53 ERA in 31 starts – he also went 12-8 with 129 strikeouts. David Peterson led the rotation in strikeouts with 150 and pitched 168.2 innings in 2025. Edwin Díaz recorded 28 saves and a 1.63 ERA, placing tenth in ESPN’s MLB closer report.

The Mets began the offseason by releasing Montas on November 19, 2025. Montas had a forgetful 2025 campaign, recording a 6.28 ERA in 38.2 innings pitched and striking out 32 batters. Second baseman Marcus Semien arrived via trade from the Texas Rangers, while Devin Williams signed a three-year deal on December 3. Other additions include Bo Bichette, Luke Weaver, Jorge Polanco and Craig Kimbrel.

FanGraphs projects the Mets to finish with a 90-72 record in 2026. FanGraphs also gave them an 80.3% chance to make the playoffs and a 33.5% chance to win the NL East. This offseason saw additions that help them maintain their status as a contender. However, the season is 162 games long, meaning the Mets must stay consistent and properly utilize their talent to make the next step.

DraftKings currently lists the Mets at -250 to make the playoffs and +1400 to win the World Series.

New York Mets schedule:

Mar 26, 2026	vs Pittsburgh	W 11-7	1-0	F. Peralta(1-0)	P. Skenes(0-1)	—
Mar 28, 2026	vs Pittsburgh	W 4-2 / 11	2-0	R. Lovelady(1-0)	H. Barco(0-1)	—
Mar 29, 2026	vs Pittsburgh	L 4-3 / 10	2-1	D. Santana(1-0)	R. Lovelady(1-1)	J. Urquidy(1)

DATE	OPP	TIME / TV	VENUE	HOME STARTER	AWAY STARTER	BUY TICKETS
Mar 30, 2026	@ St. Louis	NYM 2, STL 1 – 5thCATV	Busch Stadium	K. Leahy(-, 0.00 ERA)	C. Holmes(-, 0.00 ERA)	Tickets Starting at $13.20
Mar 31, 2026	@ St. Louis	7:45 pmCATV	Busch Stadium	A. Pallante(-, 0.00 ERA)	K. Senga(-, 0.00 ERA)	Tickets Starting at $11.34
Apr 1, 2026	@ St. Louis	1:15 pmCATV	Busch Stadium	M. Liberatore(0-0, 1.80 ERA)	F. Peralta(1-0, 7.20 ERA)	Tickets Starting at $13.20
Apr 2, 2026	@ San Francisco	9:45 pmMLBN	Oracle Park	R. Ray(0-1, 3.38 ERA)	D. Peterson(0-0, 0.00 ERA)	Tickets Starting at $19.69
Apr 3, 2026	@ San Francisco	10:15 pm	Oracle Park	T. Mahle(0-1, 4.50 ERA)	N. McLean(0-0, 3.60 ERA)	Tickets Starting at $30.98
Apr 4, 2026	@ San Francisco	9:05 pm	Oracle Park	L. Roupp(-, 0.00 ERA)	C. Holmes(-, 0.00 ERA)	Tickets Starting at $35.28
Apr 5, 2026	@ San Francisco	4:05 pm	Oracle Park	L. Webb(0-1, 10.80 ERA)	K. Senga(-, 0.00 ERA)	Tickets Starting at $46.15
Apr 7, 2026	vs Arizona	7:10 pmDBTV	Citi Field	F. Peralta(1-0, 7.20 ERA)	Z. Gallen(0-1, 9.00 ERA)	Tickets Starting at $13.20
Apr 8, 2026	vs Arizona	7:10 pmDBTV	Citi Field	D. Peterson(0-0, 0.00 ERA)	R. Nelson(0-0, 7.71 ERA)	Tickets Starting at $11.06
Apr 9, 2026	vs Arizona	7:10 pmDBTV	Citi Field	N. McLean(0-0, 3.60 ERA)	E. Rodriguez(0-0, 0.00 ERA)	Tickets Starting at $10.80
Apr 10, 2026	vs Athletics	7:10 pm	Citi Field	C. Holmes(-, 0.00 ERA)	L. Morales(0-1, 10.38 ERA)	Tickets Starting at $12.00
Apr 11, 2026	vs Athletics	4:10 pm	Citi Field	K. Senga(-, 0.00 ERA)	J. Lopez(-, 0.00 ERA)	Tickets Starting at $35.72
Apr 12, 2026	vs Athletics	1:40 pm	Citi Field	F. Peralta(1-0, 7.20 ERA)	A. Civale(-, 0.00 ERA)	Tickets Starting at $13.20
Apr 13, 2026	@ L.A. Dodgers	10:10 pmESUN	Dodger Stadium	S. Ohtani(-, 0.00 ERA)	D. Peterson(0-0, 0.00 ERA)	Tickets Starting at $169.20
Apr 14, 2026	@ L.A. Dodgers	10:10 pm	Dodger Stadium	Y. Yamamoto(1-0, 3.00 ERA)	N. McLean(0-0, 3.60 ERA)	Tickets Starting at $54.00
Apr 15, 2026	@ L.A. Dodgers	10:10 pmESPN	Dodger Stadium	—	—	Tickets Starting at $49.20
Apr 17, 2026	@ Chi. Cubs	2:20 pm	Wrigley Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $24.00
Apr 18, 2026	@ Chi. Cubs	2:20 pm	Wrigley Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $40.80
Apr 19, 2026	@ Chi. Cubs	2:20 pm	Wrigley Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $22.80
Apr 21, 2026	vs Minnesota	7:10 pmTWTV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $10.79
Apr 22, 2026	vs Minnesota	7:10 pmTWTV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $7.80
Apr 23, 2026	vs Minnesota	7:10 pmTWTV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $7.80
Apr 24, 2026	vs Colorado	7:10 pmROTV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $13.86
Apr 25, 2026	vs Colorado	4:10 pmROTV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $38.23
Apr 26, 2026	vs Colorado	1:40 pmROTV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $19.20
Apr 28, 2026	vs Washington	7:10 pmNATV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $10.14
Apr 29, 2026	vs Washington	7:10 pmNATV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $10.45
Apr 30, 2026	vs Washington	1:10 pmNATV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $8.95
May 1, 2026	@ L.A. Angels	9:38 pm	Angel Stadium of Anaheim	—	—	Tickets Starting at $13.46
May 2, 2026	@ L.A. Angels	9:38 pm	Angel Stadium of Anaheim	—	—	Tickets Starting at $8.35
May 3, 2026	@ L.A. Angels	4:07 pm	Angel Stadium of Anaheim	—	—	Tickets Starting at $7.34
May 4, 2026	@ Colorado	8:40 pmROTV	Coors Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $16.80
May 5, 2026	@ Colorado	8:40 pmROTV	Coors Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $14.40
May 6, 2026	@ Colorado	3:10 pmROTV	Coors Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $14.40
May 8, 2026	@ Arizona	9:40 pmDBTV	Chase Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $35.28
May 9, 2026	@ Arizona	7:15 pmFOX	Chase Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $48.00
May 10, 2026	@ Arizona	4:10 pmDBTV	Chase Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $38.40
May 12, 2026	vs Detroit	7:10 pmTBS	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $18.60
May 13, 2026	vs Detroit	7:10 pmDSN	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $11.86
May 14, 2026	vs Detroit	1:10 pmDSN	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $16.76
May 15, 2026	vs N.Y. Yankees	7:15 pmATV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $174.96
May 16, 2026	vs N.Y. Yankees	7:15 pmFOX	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $182.05
May 17, 2026	vs N.Y. Yankees	1:40 pm	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $178.80
May 18, 2026	@ Washington	6:45 pmNATV	Nationals Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $16.80
May 19, 2026	@ Washington	6:45 pmNATV	Nationals Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $14.40
May 20, 2026	@ Washington	6:45 pmNATV	Nationals Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $18.00
May 21, 2026	@ Washington	4:05 pmNATV	Nationals Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $21.60
May 22, 2026	@ Miami	7:10 pmMATV	loanDepot park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $25.13
May 23, 2026	@ Miami	4:10 pmMATV	loanDepot park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $27.56
May 24, 2026	@ Miami	1:40 pmMATV	loanDepot park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $28.69
May 25, 2026	vs Cincinnati	4:10 pmRDTV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $25.20
May 26, 2026	vs Cincinnati	7:10 pmRDTV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $19.44
May 27, 2026	vs Cincinnati	7:10 pmRDTV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $13.96
May 29, 2026	vs Miami	7:10 pmMATV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $20.40
May 30, 2026	vs Miami	4:10 pmMATV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $30.00
May 31, 2026	vs Miami	1:40 pmMATV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $24.68
Jun 1, 2026	@ Seattle	9:40 pmMRTV	T-Mobile Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $29.69
Jun 2, 2026	@ Seattle	9:40 pmMRTV	T-Mobile Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $29.98
Jun 3, 2026	@ Seattle	3:40 pmMRTV	T-Mobile Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $28.55
Jun 5, 2026	@ San Diego	9:40 pmPDTV	Petco Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $38.77
Jun 6, 2026	@ San Diego	10:10 pmPDTV	Petco Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $38.45
Jun 7, 2026	@ San Diego	4:10 pmPDTV	Petco Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $33.94
Jun 9, 2026	vs St. Louis	7:10 pmCATV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $25.20
Jun 10, 2026	vs St. Louis	7:10 pmCATV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $14.54
Jun 11, 2026	vs St. Louis	1:10 pmCATV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $28.62
Jun 12, 2026	vs Atlanta	7:15 pmATV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $36.41
Jun 13, 2026	vs Atlanta	4:10 pmBRVN	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $62.38
Jun 14, 2026	vs Atlanta	1:40 pmBRVN	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $30.11
Jun 15, 2026	@ Cincinnati	7:10 pmRDTV	Great American Ball Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $20.80
Jun 16, 2026	@ Cincinnati	7:10 pmRDTV	Great American Ball Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $17.82
Jun 17, 2026	@ Cincinnati	12:40 pmRDTV	Great American Ball Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $19.20
Jun 18, 2026	@ Philadelphia	6:40 pmMLBN	Citizens Bank Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $55.08
Jun 20, 2026	@ Philadelphia	7:15 pmFOX	Citizens Bank Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $66.00
Jun 21, 2026	@ Philadelphia	7:20 pmNBC	Citizens Bank Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $58.80
Jun 22, 2026	vs Chi. Cubs	7:10 pm	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $28.48
Jun 23, 2026	vs Chi. Cubs	7:10 pmTBS	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $27.60
Jun 24, 2026	vs Chi. Cubs	7:10 pm	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $31.20
Jun 25, 2026	vs Chi. Cubs	7:10 pm	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $36.00
Jun 26, 2026	vs Philadelphia	7:10 pm	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $46.09
Jun 27, 2026	vs Philadelphia	4:10 pm	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $43.32
Jun 28, 2026	vs Philadelphia	1:40 pm	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $33.60
Jun 29, 2026	@ Toronto	7:07 pm	Rogers Centre	—	—	Tickets Starting at $31.65
Jun 30, 2026	@ Toronto	7:07 pm	Rogers Centre	—	—	Tickets Starting at $33.09
Jul 1, 2026	@ Toronto	3:07 pm	Rogers Centre	—	—	Tickets Starting at $50.36
Jul 3, 2026	@ Atlanta	7:15 pmBRVN	Truist Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $46.80
Jul 4, 2026	@ Atlanta	8:08 pmFOX	Truist Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $51.60
Jul 5, 2026	@ Atlanta	12:30 pmNBC	Truist Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $32.40
Jul 6, 2026	@ Atlanta	7:15 pmBRVN	Truist Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $26.40
Jul 7, 2026	vs Kansas City	7:10 pmRYTV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $14.88
Jul 8, 2026	vs Kansas City	7:10 pmRYTV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $19.18
Jul 9, 2026	vs Kansas City	1:10 pmRYTV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $16.97
Jul 10, 2026	vs Boston	7:10 pm	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $46.51
Jul 11, 2026	vs Boston	4:10 pmFS1	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $72.00
Jul 12, 2026	vs Boston	1:40 pm	Citi Field	—

Jul 16, 2026	@ Philadelphia	7:10 pmESPN	Citizens Bank Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $55.08
Jul 18, 2026	@ Philadelphia	4:05 pm	Citizens Bank Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $60.00
Jul 19, 2026	@ Philadelphia	1:35 pm	Citizens Bank Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $60.00
Jul 20, 2026	@ Milwaukee	7:40 pmBRTV	American Family Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $16.80
Jul 21, 2026	@ Milwaukee	7:40 pmBRTV	American Family Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $19.20
Jul 22, 2026	@ Milwaukee	2:10 pmBRTV	American Family Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $19.20
Jul 24, 2026	vs L.A. Dodgers	7:10 pm	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $85.20
Jul 25, 2026	vs L.A. Dodgers	7:15 pmFOX	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $90.00
Jul 26, 2026	vs L.A. Dodgers	1:40 pm	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $100.79
Jul 27, 2026	vs Atlanta	7:10 pmBRVN	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $20.93
Jul 28, 2026	vs Atlanta	7:10 pmBRVN	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $23.26
Jul 29, 2026	vs Atlanta	1:10 pmBRVN	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $17.20
Jul 30, 2026	vs Miami	7:10 pmMATV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $13.86
Jul 31, 2026	vs Miami	7:10 pmMATV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $16.80
Aug 1, 2026	vs Miami	4:10 pmMATV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $46.62
Aug 2, 2026	vs Miami	1:40 pmMATV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $22.80
Aug 4, 2026	@ Cleveland	6:40 pmGDTV	Progressive Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $27.60
Aug 5, 2026	@ Cleveland	6:40 pmGDTV	Progressive Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $25.20
Aug 6, 2026	@ Cleveland	1:10 pmGDTV	Progressive Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $25.20
Aug 7, 2026	@ Pittsburgh	6:40 pm	PNC Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $54.34
Aug 8, 2026	@ Pittsburgh	6:40 pm	PNC Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $44.56
Aug 9, 2026	@ Pittsburgh	1:35 pm	PNC Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $48.00
Aug 10, 2026	@ Atlanta	7:15 pmBRVN	Truist Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $27.60
Aug 11, 2026	@ Atlanta	7:15 pmBRVN	Truist Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $24.00
Aug 12, 2026	@ Atlanta	7:15 pmBRVN	Truist Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $27.60
Aug 14, 2026	vs Washington	7:10 pmNATV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $20.40
Aug 15, 2026	vs Washington	4:10 pmFS1	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $30.91
Aug 16, 2026	vs Washington	1:40 pmNATV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $16.80
Aug 17, 2026	vs San Diego	7:10 pmPDTV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $17.99
Aug 18, 2026	vs San Diego	7:10 pmPDTV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $16.79
Aug 19, 2026	vs San Diego	1:10 pmPDTV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $22.02
Aug 21, 2026	@ Chi. White Sox	7:40 pm	Rate Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $16.80
Aug 22, 2026	@ Chi. White Sox	7:10 pm	Rate Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $19.20
Aug 23, 2026	@ Chi. White Sox	2:10 pm	Rate Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $14.40
Aug 25, 2026	vs Milwaukee	7:10 pmBRTV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $22.78
Aug 26, 2026	vs Milwaukee	7:10 pmBRTV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $16.21
Aug 27, 2026	vs Milwaukee	7:10 pmBRTV	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $18.71
Aug 28, 2026	vs Houston	7:10 pm	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $22.25
Aug 29, 2026	vs Houston	4:10 pm	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $35.11
Aug 30, 2026	vs Houston	7:20 pmNBC	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $21.01
Aug 31, 2026	@ Tampa Bay	6:40 pmRATV	Tropicana Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $30.00
Sep 1, 2026	@ Tampa Bay	6:40 pmRATV	Tropicana Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $24.00
Sep 2, 2026	@ Tampa Bay	6:40 pmRATV	Tropicana Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $27.72
Sep 4, 2026	vs San Francisco	7:10 pm	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $31.19
Sep 5, 2026	vs San Francisco	4:10 pm	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $25.20
Sep 6, 2026	vs San Francisco	1:40 pm	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $23.03
Sep 7, 2026	@ Miami	1:10 pmMATV	loanDepot park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $17.46
Sep 8, 2026	@ Miami	6:40 pmMATV	loanDepot park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $11.16
Sep 9, 2026	@ Miami	6:40 pmMATV	loanDepot park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $13.63
Sep 11, 2026	@ N.Y. Yankees	7:05 pm	Yankee Stadium	—	—	Tickets Starting at $117.88
Sep 12, 2026	@ N.Y. Yankees	1:35 pm	Yankee Stadium	—	—	Tickets Starting at $60.00
Sep 13, 2026	@ N.Y. Yankees	1:35 pm	Yankee Stadium	—	—	Tickets Starting at $49.67
Sep 14, 2026	vs Baltimore	7:10 pm	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $44.40
Sep 15, 2026	vs Baltimore	7:10 pm	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $24.00
Sep 16, 2026	vs Baltimore	7:10 pmESPN	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $22.72
Sep 17, 2026	vs Philadelphia	7:15 pmFOX	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $14.88
Sep 18, 2026	vs Philadelphia	7:10 pm	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $26.40
Sep 19, 2026	vs Philadelphia	4:10 pm	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $31.20
Sep 20, 2026	vs Philadelphia	1:40 pm	Citi Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $22.57
Sep 22, 2026	@ Texas	8:05 pmRASN	Globe Life Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $20.94
Sep 23, 2026	@ Texas	8:05 pmRASN	Globe Life Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $21.60
Sep 24, 2026	@ Texas	2:35 pmRASN	Globe Life Field	—	—	Tickets Starting at $22.36
Sep 25, 2026	@ Washington	6:45 pmNATV	Nationals Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $24.00
Sep 26, 2026	@ Washington	4:05 pmNATV	Nationals Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $25.20
Sep 27, 2026	@ Washington	3:05 pmNATV	Nationals Park	—	—	Tickets Starting at $24.00

President Donald Trump has pardoned former New York Mets player Darryl Strawberry for tax evasion.

Strawberry was a right fielder and an eight-time All-Star, a four-time World Series Champion and twice a Silver Slugger. Seven of the All-Stars were with the Mets from 1983 to 1990.

Throughout his 17-season baseball career, Strawberry hit 335 home runs, 1,000 RBIs, and 221 stolen bases, all while playing over 1,580 games.

Strawberry was indicted for tax evasion, where he later pleaded guilty in 1995 to a single felony count.

This was based on the failure to report $350,000 in income from autographs, personal appearances, and sales of memorabilia.

As part of the case, Strawberry agreed to pay more than $430,000.

In 2002, Strawberry was sentenced to 11 months in a Florida prison, and he was released in 2003.

A White House official on Friday stated that Trump approved a pardon for Strawberry, who had served time and paid back taxes.

“Mr. Strawberry served time and paid back taxes after pleading guilty to one count of tax evasion,” White House official said. “Mr. Strawberry found faith in Christianity and has been sober for over a decade.”

Strawberry posted a picture of himself on Instagram with Trump.

The caption reads, “Thank you, President @realdonaldtrump, for my full pardon and for finalizing this part of my life, allowing me to be truly free and clean from all of my past.”

Strawberry mentioned that he is overwhelmed with gratitude as that chapter comes to a close.

Last week, New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso announced he will opt out of his contract during the winter and become a free agent.

Alonso’s announcement came after the Mets lost to the Miami Marlins and were eliminated from the postseason.

In order to make it to the postseason, the Mets needed to beat the Marlins and have the Cincinnati Reds lose against the Milwaukee Brewers.

During the 2025 season, Alonso played in 162 games, averaging 170 hits, 87 runs, and 38 home runs.

Compared to last year, in the 2024 season, he played the same number of games, accumulating 91 runs and 146 hits, with 34 home runs.

Alonso will not only opt out of his $24 million contract but also opt out of the final year.

“Playing for this organization, this city, they’ve continued to believe in me. I’ve loved playing here,” Alonso said during the postgame interview. “I’ve loved being a Met. Hopefully, they’ve appreciated me the same.”

Alonso emphasized that opting out does not necessarily mean he will play somewhere else.

Many fans are speculating that the New York Yankees could possibly sign him for the 2026 season.

The New York Mets are in first place in the NL East.

New York finished the 2024 season with an 89-73 record, which secured a wild-card spot. New York went on a run in the postseason, making it to the NLCS, but lost to the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in six games.

The Mets were very active during the offseason, making arguably the biggest move by signing superstar Juan Soto to a 15-year $765 million contract, which is the largest contract in North American sports history. The Mets also signed starting pitchers Griffin Canning and Clay Holes, as well as reliever A.J. Minter.

New York also valued retaining its players, re-signing starting pitcher Sean Manaea and All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso.

The Mets’ offense has been very strong this season, led by Soto, Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Lindor.

The Mets are a top-five team at drawing walks, and a top-10 team in home runs, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. One area where the Mets struggle is batting average, ranking in the bottom 10.

>GET DEALS ON N.Y. METS TICKETS NOW!

Pitching has also been a strength for the Mets, led by Kodai Senga, David Peterson and Holmes. Edwin Diaz has also been a major contributor out of the bullpen, and Manaea looks to make an impact as he recently made his season debut.

The Mets rank second in the majors in ERA and fewest home runs allowed. The Mets are in the top 10 for batting average allowed and strikeouts, but are in the bottom half of the league for walks and hits per inning pitched (WHIP).

The Mets have dealt with injuries to the pitching staff throughout the season. Canning ruptured his left Achilles tendon, Minter had surgery to repair a torn left lat muscle, and both Max Kranick and Dedniel Nunez will undergo Tommy John surgery.

With the injuries to the pitchers, the Mets made a trade with the Baltimore Orioles to acquire reliever Gregory Soto.

With the trade deadline on July 30, the Mets may look to acquire more pitching help to help make a push during the postseason. Even if the Mets are unable to obtain pitching help, the team is in a great position to go on a run in October.

New York Mets Schedule & Tickets

• July 29: at San Diego Padres
• July 30: at San Diego Padres
• August 1: vs. San Francisco Giants
• August 2: vs. San Francisco Giants
• August 3: vs. San Francisco Giants
• August 4: vs. Cleveland Guardians
• August 5: vs. Cleveland Guardians
• August 6: vs. Cleveland Guardians
• August 8: at Milwaukee Brewers
• August 9: at Milwaukee Brewers
• August 10: at Milwaukee Brewers
• August 12: vs. Atlanta Braves
• August 13: vs. Atlanta Braves
• August 14: vs. Atlanta Braves
• August 15: vs. Seattle Mariners
• August 16: vs. Seattle Mariners
• August 17: vs. Seattle Mariners
• August 19: at Washington Nationals
• August 20: at Washington Nationals
• August 21: at Washington Nationals
• August 22: at Atlanta Braves
• August 23: at Atlanta Braves
• August 24: at Atlanta Braves
• August 25: vs. Philadelphia Phillies
• August 26: vs. Philadelphia Phillies
• August 27: vs. Philadelphia Phillies
• August 28: vs. Miami Marlins
• August 29: vs. Miami Marlins
• August 30: vs. Miami Marlins
• August 31: vs. Miami Marlins
• September 1: at Detroit Tigers
• September 2: at Detroit Tigers
• September 3: at Detroit Tigers
• September 5: at Cincinnati Reds
• September 6: at Cincinnati Reds
• September 7: at Cincinnati Reds
• September 8: at Philadelphia Phillies
• September 9: at Philadelphia Phillies
• September 10: at Philadelphia Phillies
• September 11: at Philadelphia Phillies
• September 12: vs. Texas Rangers
• September 13: vs. Texas Rangers
• September 14: vs. Texas Rangers
• September 16: vs. San Diego Padres
• September 17: vs. San Diego Padres
• September 18: vs. San Diego Padres
• September 19: vs. Washington Nationals
• September 20: vs. Washington Nationals
• September 21: vs. Washington Nationals
• September 23: at Chicago Cubs
• September 24: at Chicago Cubs
• September 25: at Chicago Cubs
• September 26: at Miami Marlins
• September 27: at Miami Marlins
• September 28: at Miami Marlins

New York Mets Odds

The Mets are viewed as a lock to make the postseason, with odds of -5000. Its odds of winning the National League are +450, and its odds of winning the World Series are +850, which is tied for the third-highest odds.

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The New York Yankees defeated the New York Mets 8-2, coming back from down 2-0 in the eighth inning to steal the game.

The comeback was partially fueled by Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, who committed a massive error in the bottom of the eighth inning.

“I messed it up,” Alonso said. “I just made an awful throw. That whole inning, this game, it’s on me. After that throw the momentum got out of hand, and they had really good at-bats, and this one’s on me.”

Alonso fielded a ground ball hit by Jordan Vivas and looked to get the out at home as Jason Dominguez was heading toward the plate. Alonso sailed the ball over catcher Francisco Alvarez’s head, allowing the go-ahead run.

The error put the Yankees up 3-2, and from that point, the floodgates opened. Cody Bellinger hit a grand slam to right field to put the game out of reach.

The Mets sit at the top of the NL East, and Alonso is having a great statistical season, batting .301 with nine home runs.

However, this was a critical error from the four-time All-Star.

The Mets will try to shake off the series loss to the Yankees on Monday. They travel to Boston to start a series against the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox have lost five of their last six games.

Well into the MLB season, the New York Mets are sitting pretty at the top of the NL East standings. That spot has been spurred by a lot of outstanding performances – first baseman Pete Alonso is batting .365 right now with 21 RBI, tied for second in the league – but one hitter who’s been conspicuously absent from the score sheets is the Mets’ prime offseason acquisition, superstar Juan Soto.

Soto, who signed a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets in December, has chipped in just two hits in the team’s past five games. He has seven RBI and 12 strikeouts, with one of those coming as he represented the game-winning run on Opening Day.

Soto was candid about the transition from last season’s stint with the Yankees to this year when he talked to the New York Post. “I had the best hitter in baseball batting behind me,” he said. “I was getting attacked and more pitches in the strike zone, fewer intentional walks, and things like that. I was pitched differently last year.”

That “best hitter,” Aaron Judge, has more than justified that characterization this season. He leads all players with a .409 batting average and 1.322 OPS, and he’s tied with Alonso with 21 RBI. Even as Alonso has also been fearsome to pitch against this season, there’s no denying that pitchers have indeed changed their tactics based on the batters around Soto.

According to Statcast, just 43.2% of pitches Soto has seen this year have been in the strike zone. If the trend holds, that would be the lowest mark of his career, down from 46.4% last year with the Yankees.

This change in pitching has certainly contributed to Soto’s overall hitting contributions this season. He’s being walked consistently – giving him an on-base percentage of .367 this season despite his hitting woes. Regardless of his current struggles, though, barely a tenth of the season has gone by. There’s no reason to believe Soto won’t become the offensive weapon he’s shown in the past.

As a bonus, Soto also has a vote of confidence from Judge.

“He’s got probably one of the best hitters in the game right now with what Alonso is doing,” Judge said. “It’s been fun to watch. He’s hitting close to .400, driving the ball all over the field and driving guys in. They’re gonna be just fine. I’ve watched him in the league for so many years and getting a chance to see him up close — he can look at what I did last April for an example.

“He just needs to keep being himself. He’s going to be just fine.”

The New York Mets lost their first game of the 2025 season to the Houston Astros, 1-3. Juan Soto went 1-for-3, walking twice, and eventually struck out on a full count with two runners on. For the Mets fan looking to diagnose too early – or the rival fan ready to jump on any weakness – it’s suddenly easy to be hopeless about the $765 million man.

When he went to the plate in the ninth inning, Soto represented the game-winning run.

After being shut out for eight innings, the Mets had put together a string of plays – Starling Marte singled, Tyrone Taylor singled and Luisangel Acuña walked – that saw the bases loaded. After a strikeout by Hayden Senger, star shortstop Francisco Lindor hit a sacrifice fly that gave the Mets their first run of the game.

Soto went to the plate with two outs and runners on the corners, and immediately drew ahead of the Astros’ five-time All Star Josh Hader, who delivered three consecutive balls to begin the at-bat. Hader recovered, dealing two strikes, before uncorking a slider. Soto whiffed, and the game ended.

Following the game, Soto admitted his own fault and gave credit to Hader, but never sounded too down.

“We all want to do something in a big spot,” Soto said. “We’re all trying to get the knock and we’re all trying to bring the runs in. Try to help the team either way. But for me, I don’t mind taking a walk right there. It’s Pete [Alonso] behind me, and he’s a really good power hitter, so I think we have a better chance right there, lefty-righty matchup. [Hader] just got me in that situation.”

“I was expecting to win the game, but definitely it’s not how we want it,” he said. “For me, it was a good experience.”

It’s Opening Day, so the strikeout was bound to be a story. The season still has 161 games to go for Soto and the Mets, though, and if Soto can settle in and help his team win some games, there won’t be much for Mets fans to complain about.

The Mets play the Astros again on Friday night.

The New York Mets signed Pete Alonso to a two-year, $54 million deal Wednesday, retaining the first baseman and pairing him with fellow slugger Juan Soto. Negotiations with Alonso were tense at certain points, but the two sides eventually settled on a short-term deal with a high upside.

At one point, New York seemed intent on parting ways with Alonso, who was entertaining discussions with several teams in search of a long-term deal. Alonso’s connection to the Mets reportedly deteriorated further after they stood by their short-term offer. The All-Star first baseman only returned to the table after it became apparent that he wouldn’t be able to find a substantially better deal elsewhere.

Coming off a relatively subpar 2024 season, spared from outright ridicule by spectacular postseason heroics, with long-term durability concerns going forward, it was very difficult for any team to offer Alonso a deal for more than three or four years. It’s inevitable that he will eventually transition from first base to designated hitter, and the Mets were the first of many teams who suggested that they would rather get the most out of his short-term value and return to the table for the back-end of his career.

The circumstances aren’t ideal, as both sides will have to work out some hard feelings before Opening Day, but Alonso could be in line for a massive year in Queens. With Soto beside him in the lineup, he’ll have unprecedented protection at the plate. Teams will have to pitch to him because of the threats surrounding him, giving him an opportunity to return to elite slugging production.

Though he has had his forgettable moments in the field, Alonso still has some life at first base as well. He has outstanding chemistry with shortstop Francisco Lindor and has become one of the best scooping first basemen in MLB. Signing him again saves the Mets a massive headache, as they likely would have had to train shaky third baseman Mark Vientos in a new position to fill the gap. 

With Alonso back, New York’s lineup becomes as daunting as people once suspected it might be. Soto, Lindor, Vientos, Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Alvarez will now form a very exciting core, with young talent like Ronny Mauricio and Luisangel Acuna coming in to potentially add even more firepower. The team’s lineup was sufficient without Alonso, but adding a hitter capable of hitting 50 home runs gives it explosive potential.

A 15-2 rout of the Minnesota Twins puts the Mets in a further position to solidify themselves as playoff contenders ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline. The Mets now sit at 56-50, tied with the Padres for the second wild card spot and half a game back the Braves for first place in the wild card.

Lefty pitcher Jose Quintana was shaky to start after putting Manuel Margot on second base and giving up an RBI single to Byron Buxton. Despite this, Quintana pitched six innings and allowed his lone run off the Buxton single in the first inning to improve his ERA to 1.91 and record to 5-1 on the season. Monday’s start marked the sixth time in eight starts that he’s gone at least five innings giving up less than two runs.

The Mets’ offense was the main culprit to Monday’s dominant win as eight different players drove in runs. Pete Alonso hit a home run in his second consecutive game while tacking on an RBI double and scoring three of the Mets’ 15 runs. Luis Torrens had three hits in addition to Brandon Nimmo and J.D. Martinez each recording two RBIs while Fransico Lindor went two for five. Jeff McNeil batted in three runs in which Torrens did the same. Every starter batted in at least one run except for Jesse Winker, who singled and crossed home plate once. Winker was acquired from the Nationals in exchange for pitcher Tyler Stuart.

New York scored the most runs in a home game since scoring 17 against the Phillies in September 2016 and tied their largest margin of victory since a 14-1 rout at Camden Yards against the Orioles in 2021 – they also won by 13 runs.

With the All-Star break looming within the next week, one date is circled on the calendar: July 30, 2024 – when the MLB’s trade deadline is. Across the coming days, we will see teams make executive decisions regarding their rosters. Two major trades occurred before the deadline: Luis Arraez was moved from the Marlins to the Padres in May, while Aaron Civale was sent to the Brewers from the Rays on July 4.

The Mets are 2.5 games back of the Cardinals for the third wild card spot as of July 5, 2024. New York went on an insane tear to get them to this position, going 14-6 since June 11. This run is highlighted by Grimace’s first pitch on June 12, which some believe contributed to the Mets’ turning of the ship. The Mets owned the MLB’s best record in June, going 16-8.

Look for the Mets to shop the market for some pitching – notable names include Erick Fedde and Chris Bassitt. Despite wanting to buy, the Mets could sell as they have three starters on the last year of their contracts while relievers Adam Ottaviano and Jake Diekman are regressing. Jose Quintana, Sean Manaea or Luis Severino could be moved to a team that is also contending.

The Angels sit at 36-50 and fourth place in the AL West. Los Angeles is taking offers for their closer, Carlos Estevez. Thus far, Estevez has pitched 27 innings and has a 3.00 ERA, in addition to striking out 27 batters and walking three. The closer won the American League’s Reliever of the Month award in June. Interest is pouring in as the Yankees, Royals, Padres, Mets and Cardinals are rumored to have interest in the right-handed hurler. Estevez is owed just $3 million for the rest of 2024, so teams need to commit just over $2 million to cater to the pitcher’s salary – that alone is a bargain for a top reliever on the market.

The New York Mets’ season-long roller coaster took another turn Sunday.

Leading 5-2 heading into the ninth inning, manager Carlos Mendoza brought on his closer Edwin Diaz to secure the series victory as the Orange and Blue vault themselves back into playoff contention.

Diaz never threw a pitch.

The umpires checked his hand and determined that what the pitcher had on was illegal, tossing him from the game. Diaz claimed it was a mixture of sweat and rosin, but the umpires felt differently and did not change their minds.

The Puerto Rican native faces a suspension of ten games per the MLB rule book, and the player cannot be replaced on the major league roster. However, Diaz will be allowed to appeal, although he has not yet done so.

After the game, Diaz claimed that what he used was common when he pitched.

He told SNY, “I was really surprised because I didn’t have anything on my hand, my glove, my belt. They always check my hat, everything. And they thought that was sticky a lot. I said, ‘You could check my hand, smell my hand,’ and they didn’t smell anything, but they threw me out of the game.”

Diaz’s career has taken a difficult turn since he signed the largest contract for a reliever in MLB history after the 2022 season, earning $120 million over five years. He did not throw a pitch last season after tearing his right patellar tendon during the World Baseball Classic. In 2024, he has struggled to regain his previous form with four blown saves in 23 appearances and a negative WAR.

The Mets need the best version of Diaz after their surprising vault up the National League standings. After being forced to tear down parts of the most expensive roster in the Majors during the 2023 season, Mendoza’s team was 29-37 before winning eight of their last ten. They now sit one game off the third spot in the NL wild card.

New York Mets outfielder Starling Martes had been struggling with a groin injury dating back to November of 2022, but according to the team the 35-year-old looks to be in good form as the MLB season begins.

“I continue to think with Starling the most important thing is health,” Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said. “And what we’ve seen is that he’s a healthy player.”

Marte missed the final two months of last season due to a groin injury but has gone through adequate rehab to satisfy both himself and the team. He made multiple appearances in the Dominican Winter League but struggled in Spring Training with only a .159 batting average. Marte finished pre-season ball playing 16 games and scoring four runs on a .245 on-base percentage, but his return proves hopeful for New York.

“During spring training you are working on different things so you just have to make sure you are going out there and getting the reps that you need,” Marte said through an interpreter. “Obviously you are able to look at those numbers and that is why you ask, but those numbers don’t really matter.”

Before having groin surgery in late 2022, Marte finished the year as an All-Star with a .292 batting average, a .347 on-base percentage, .468 slugging and 16 home runs in 118 games. As the Mets look to make a playoff run, they hope to find the same Marte from 2022 on their roster this year.

“I worked really hard this offseason to correct a lot of the things that went wrong last season physically, so once I was able to play those games in the winter league where I was able to run the bases and feel good there, that is when I kind of when it clicked for me,” Marte said.

Marte was also asked by team manager Carlos Mendoza if he would be open to playing in the designated hitter role, but that was a week before they signed DH J.D. Martinez. Marte was originally hesitant about the idea, but after conversations with Mendoza and Martinez, he agreed that he could play the DH role in a limited span this season.

“It was one of those things where [Mendoza] said it can favor me in the long run — how my body could benefit from it,” Marte said. “After the signing, we had to have another conversation, and I told them if that’s what they want, on some days to play DH, I will still do it and [Mendoza] was able to speak to me in a way I could understand because it’s not something that I have done… When you have a hitter of that caliber it’s going to make an impact and I felt like we needed to have that type of impact bat in the lineup,”

Marte has been in the league since 2012, but only once has played more than 150 games in a season. As a player whose career has been marked by multiple long-term injuries, Marte’s efforts this season will impact the success of a Mets team with only one playoff appearance since 2016.

Marte signed a four-year $78 million deal with New York in 2022 and is currently set to make $19.5 million this year. Since signing the deal the right fielder has proved his value, as long as he can stay healthy. The Mets are set to owe the 35-year-old $41.5 million over the next two years, but he could go unsigned after that if his injuries continue. If he does find a healthy stretch this season, Marte could be the deciding factor for a team desperate for postseason success.

Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga might not be ready for opening day.

The Japanese phenom is expected to begin the 2024 MLB season on the injured reserve list, according to President of Baseball Operations David Stearns. Senga had an MRI for arm fatigue he experienced during a spring training session.

It was revealed Senga had a moderate capsule strain in the back of his right shoulder, which would shut down the star player indefinitely. However, the injury won’t require surgery, and with rest, he should be ready to go not long after the season starts.

“At this point, I’m not going to be able to perform at the highest level, so giving it a little bit of time is the right move,” Senga said, speaking through an interpreter.

Senga is expected to be the backbone of the Mets starting rotation this season. In a year where expectations are low for the Mets, an all-star effort from the talented pitcher could help New York overachieve. However, that question will have to be answered at a later date until Senga can come back from injury.

In the meantime, the Mets will now rely more on former Yankees standout Luis Severino, Sean Manaea and Tylor Megill to step up in replacement of Senga. The team started spring training in Port St. Lucie last weekend, playing St. Louis and Houston on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

Starting pitcher Luis Severino signed a one-year, $13 million deal with the New York Mets Wednesday. Coming off a dreadful season with the New York Yankees, Severino will not have to travel far as he attempts to reignite his MLB career on a short-term contract.

Severino, now 29 years old, has struggled with multiple injuries in recent years and has not played a full season since 2018. Though he was somewhat effective in 2022, participating in a combined no-hitter and earning a 3.18 ERA, he also missed part of the season and only played in 19 games.

After a promising 2022 season, the starter’s 2023 campaign was disastrous, as his ERA ballooned to 6.65 with a 4-8 record. He strained his oblique in September and missed the rest of the season.

The Mets have reportedly been interested in Severino for several months and the short-term deal may be able to help the team overcome issues with its rotation in the coming season. New York boasted one of the most star-studded pitching staffs in baseball going into 2023 but traded away Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer at the trade deadline. The team was on its way to missing the postseason and wanted to acquire prospects for their aging stars. Rookie of the Year runner-up Kodai Senga will now lead the staff through a rebuilding period, with Severino expected to slot in behind him.

With Severino leaving for free agency at the end of last season, Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters in September that his former ace could still be useful to teams if he could remain healthy.

“He really was one of the dominant starters and even through the injuries that he’s experienced over the last few years when he has been healthy, he’s shown you that performance when he has been healthy and then this year he really struggled for the first time,” Boone told reporters.

The New York Mets announced Monday that Scott Havens has been hired as president of business operations.

Havens was most recently the Chief Executive Officer of Bloomberg Media and will run the baseball team’s business strategy.

“Bringing someone on board of Scott’s caliber is an exciting development for the Mets organization. Scott has vast experience leading world-class media and digital technology-led companies such as Bloomberg Media and Time Inc. and he’ll provide a modern vision and strategic direction for our organization.” Mets owners Steve and Alex Cohen said.

Havens is credited with playing a large role in Bloomberg’s digital transformation. He helped Bloomberg set revenue and audience highs.

“The opportunity to join the Mets organization is a lifelong dream fulfilled,” Havens said I’m thrilled to build upon the great work under way, accelerating the push to modernize our strategy across the organization, driving new digital and media innovation, and ultimately, to provide our fans with the best experience in sports. I’m grateful to Steve and Alex for this opportunity and am looking forward to working with the entire leadership team to shape the future of the Mets together.”

This will be Haven’s first go into the business side of baseball. He has previously worked at Time Inc., The Atlantic and Condé Nast Business Media.

With Mets star Pete Alonso hitting free agency next year, his new sports agent, Scott Boras, has weighed in on Alonso’s payday.

“I don’t think those recent contracts, certainly negotiated by others, are really relevant to anything that has to do with what’s going to happen in the future. Particularly with Pete Alonso,” Boras told The Show podcast.

Clues about how much Alonso will get paid come from players such as Matt Olson and Freddie Freeman, who were around Alonso’s age when they received big-money contracts.

At age 28, Olson signed an eight-year extension with the Atlanta Braves worth $168 million. While at age 32, Freeman signed a six-year, $162 million free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Boras doesn’t believe those deals should affect Alonso’s deal.

“We all work in different markets, and I got Mark Teixeira a contract where he became a world champion with the Yankees $180 million in 2007,” Boras said. “I also understand I got Prince Fielder a contract at [$214 million] in 2011. There are different markets, different representation, and different dynamics you look at.”

On Alonso’s future with the Mets, Boras will keep the door open for the star to reach a deal.

“We welcome all offers. We certainly present them [and] discuss them with the players we represent and we really try to have as open a dialogue as we can and also have an exchange of information, because … even if you don’t get a deal done, it helps the parties understand one another. So we invite negotiations, we invite discussions [and] we invite offers,” Boras said.

Mets General Manager Billy Eppler resigned Thursday afternoon after three seasons with the team. Early reports suggest that Eppler resigned in response to the team’s move to appoint David Stearns as president of baseball operations, a position which gave him executive power on team decisions.

Eppler, who previously served as the general manager of the Los Angeles Angels from 2015 to 2020, had an eventful three seasons in New York. After a disappointing mid-season collapse in 2021, the team came back strong in 2022 and won 101 games. The improved performance wasn’t enough to win the NL East, however, and the team fell in the Wild Card round to the Padres.

Eppler and the Mets entered the 2023 season with high expectations, having acquired pitchers Justin Verlander and Kodai Senga to join Max Scherzer in a stacked rotation. The team also signed reliever David Robertson and extended contracts for stars Brandon Nimmo and Edwin Diaz. Diaz went down with a season-ending injury in the World Baseball Classic, however, a bad omen for the season to come.

Owner Steve Cohen gave his front office the highest payroll in the history of baseball, but it was immediately clear that the roster was simply not delivering. With the team essentially out of the playoff race by July, Eppler decided to trade away many of the team’s most valuable assets and begin the process of rebuilding. Scherzer went to Texas while Verlander returned to Houston. Robertson went to Miami and Pham went to Arizona. All four players ended up on playoff teams, and the Mets ate significant portions of their contracts in order to receive better prospects in return.

Though Eppler received praise for his negotiating efforts at the deadline, other decisions related to management and analytics consistently came under fire. A report earlier this week claimed that Eppler consistently debated former manager Buck Showalter over starting Daniel Vogelbach at designated hitter. Showalter, who officially left the team Sunday, reportedly favored others on the bench but Eppler insisted that Vogelbach start against right-handed pitchers. He ended the season hitting .233 with 13 home runs, well below MLB standards at the slugging position.

The team made the decision to hire Stearns at the end of the season in an attempt at a fresh start heading into 2024. Serving as the assistant general manager of the Houston Astros from 2013 to 2015, Stearns has been credited as a key contributor to the team’s dynastic ascendance. After Houston, he became the general manager (and later president of baseball operations) of the Milwaukee Brewers and stayed with the team through the 2023 season. During his tenure, the team made four straight playoff appearances between 2018 and 2021.

With Stearns now at the helm, Eppler no longer had the same power over team decisions, likely explaining his resignation.

Continuing a recent surge in number retirements, the New York Mets announced last Thursday that they plan to retire No. 16 and No. 18 in honor of Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry during the 2024 season. The two were stars of the Mets at their peak in the 1980s, and though both struggled later in their careers, they proved integral in New York’s run to the 1986 World Series.

Between 1967 and 2016, the Mets retired just five numbers, but since 2021, the team has retired three and will add Gooden and Strawberry next year. They will join former teammate Keith Hernandez (No. 17), Jerry Koosman (No. 36) and Willie Mays (No. 24) in a group of recent honorees. Those join Mike Piazza (No. 31, retired in 2016), Jackie Robinson (No. 42, retired throughout MLB in 1997), Tom Seaver (No. 41, retired in 1988), Gil Hodges (No. 14, retired in 1973) and Casey Stengel (No. 37, retired in 1965).

Gooden, a righthanded pitcher who debuted at age 19 in 1984, became a household name immediately after earning a 17-9 record and 276 strikeouts in his rookie year and finished second in NL Cy Young Award voting. He left no doubt in 1985 with a 24-4 record, 1.53 ERA and 268 strikeouts to win the award unanimously. He remained highly effective in 1986, the year the Mets won the World Series.

Strawberry debuted one year before Gooden, earning NL Rookie of the Year honors in 1983 after batting .257 with 26 home runs. The star outfielder made it to the All-Star Game eight straight times between 1984 and 1991, and though he was a key contributor in 1986, he got even better as the decade progressed. In 1988, a heartbreaking year in which the Mets fell to the Dodgers in the NLCS, Strawberry batted .267 with 39 home runs and finished second in NL MVP voting.

In addition to coming up as young stars during the Mets’ strongest era, the two also share several unfortunate similarities in their later careers. Both had widely publicized struggles with drug addiction, which they grappled with throughout the 1980s but did not have to fully reckon with until later on. Issues off the field derailed both players and led them to regress dramatically soon after they left New York. Despite brilliant performances early in their careers, it is unlikely that either one will be voted into the Hall of Fame.

Regardless of their issues off the field, however, Gooden and Strawberry are still remembered in overwhelmingly positive terms by Mets fans. Along with the likes of Hernandez and Gary Carter, they are hailed as overwhelmingly significant contributors to one of the franchise’s two World Series titles. Their number of retirement ceremonies may be part of a larger effort by the team to honor its past in recent years, but there are few Mets more deserving.

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen offered his thoughts Wednesday about his team’s recent activity ahead of the trade deadline. After entering the season with the highest payroll in MLB history, New York currently has a 50-57 record and has traded six key players in the span of one week.

In an effort to rebuild and acquire young prospects, the Mets have become aggressive sellers at the deadline, sending away Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, David Robertson, Tommy Pham, Mark Canha and Dominic Leone. Far removed from the win-now attitude they assumed before the season, the Mets now more closely resemble extremely young upstarts.

The team has arguably thrown away the 2023 season in favor of a more secure future, though Cohen remained coy about the organization’s plans going forward.

“I think the expectations were really high this year and my guess is next year they’ll be a lot lower,” Cohen said. “I can’t speak to what’s going to happen in the offseason. I’m opportunistic. I don’t want to roll a team out that we’re going to be embarrassed about. But, we also know that spending a fortune doesn’t guarantee a trip to the playoffs. I think we’ve got to look and see what we need. Obviously we need starting pitching, and that’s the key thing.”

As disappointing as the Mets have been this season, categorically failing to extract nearly enough from its prohibitively expensive starting rotation and underperforming bullpen, the prospects the team has acquired in the past week do offer some solace. Former Astros No. 1 prospect Drew Gilbert and former Rangers No. 3 prospect Luisangel Acuna stand out as especially promising future MLB players.

“We thought we got a great return for the people we ended up trading,” Cohen said. “We weren’t sure that was going to happen. We weren’t just going to do deals for the sake of doing deals. I would have kept the players if it turned out it was going to be a mediocre return. It’s a moment in time when other clubs were thinking very short term and I was thinking more intermediate, long term. And so, I was able to take advantage of that.”

Braves star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. praised Luisangel, his younger brother, and his development in the Rangers’ farm system. He may one day face his brother as a division rival.

“My brother is more advanced and better than I was at his age. Maybe I was as talented, but not as advanced,” Acuna said through an interpreter.

In his first two seasons as the Mets’ owner, it’s clear that Cohen has learned the hard way that he cannot buy his way into the playoffs. The organization is taking a different path and did not hesitate to abruptly change course when it was not getting results.

“When you look at the probabilities, what we were at, 15% (to make the postseason)?” Cohen said. “And other teams were getting better, so you have to take the odds down from that. So, if you’re going to have a 12% chance of just getting into the playoffs, those are pretty crummy odds. I’ve said before – hope is not a strategy.”

The MLB trade deadline has been a busy time for the New York Mets, as they have shipped two-star pitchers so far but more moves could potentially be done before August 1.

On Friday, the Mets traded right-hand reliever David Robertson to the Miami Marlins for two minor leaguers, 18-year-old middle infielder Marco Vargas and 19-year-old switch-hitting catcher Ronald Hernandez.

The day after, the Mets starting right-hand pitcher Max Scherzer talked with ownership on the team’s direction after the Robertson trade, to then get shipped off to the Texas Rangers on Saturday for a shortstop, second baseman, and center fielder in 21-year-old Luisangel Acuña.

“I do want to be clear that it’s not a rebuild. It’s not a fire sale,” General Manager Billy Epplers said Sunday at Citi Field. “It’s not a liquidation.”

The brass for the Mets believe they are not selling, yet a big name like 40-year-old starting pitcher Justin Verlander could be next on the move potentially, with the team ranked fourth currently in NL East at 50-55 and out of playoff contention.

Asked if the Robertson trade is the first of more deals to come for the Mets, Eppler said the team is “listening to where clubs are when they call us.”

“If that economic equation points to us making the deal that’s best for the organization, then we’re gonna have to consider it,” Eppler said.

Robertson, 38. was not surprised he was shipped, as he said following the trade. “I figured I would be moved, I just didn’t know where,” Robertson said Thursday night. “Just really didn’t have an idea of where, so it’s kind of a shock, but it’s part of this game.”

After 29-year-old Mets closer Edwin Diaz injured his knee during a World Baseball Classic celebration back in the spring, closer Robertson took over the ninth-inning role and finished the game. He has been a solid replacement before the trade, posting a 2.05 ERA over 44 innings, striking out 48 and saving 14 games.

The Marlins, who are right in the playoff mix, traded their 32-year-old reliever Dylan Floro to the Minnesota Twins for 30-year-old reliever Jorge Lopez last week. Robertson joins them in a revamped relief group for Miami that second in the NL East at 57-49 at the moment.

The Mets attempted to build a team that was playoff caliber, but it never was meant to be due to injuries and the efforts in replacing those players just didn’t work in the bullpen. Their team structure just never could mesh despite re-signing of Diaz and 30-year-old center fielder Brandon Nimmo, along with adding stars Verlander and Scherzer in the last two offseasons.

“It’s not a complete surprise. You knew this was a possibility,” Nimmo said after Thursday’s 2-1 win over the Nationals. “But it’s setting in that this is the path that we’re going down. That’s never an easy pill to swallow. You can’t sit here and say you that were completely blindsided by it. You had to know this was a possibility. You were just hoping that we could do enough in this last week and a half or so to maybe give it a shot and go and see what we could do in the last two months. I think they kind of made it clear the direction we’re going in. The rest of us just have to take in stride, keep going out there and try to win games.”

But now with Scherzer allowing the trade to go through since he waived his no-trade clause, it is clear that the Mets are in the first steps of unloading star players with big payroll.

The Rangers gave up the younger brother of Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. with Luisangel in the Scherzer trade with the Mets. Acuna was hitting .315 with seven home runs, 51 RBIs, and 42 stolen bases in 82 games for Double-A Frisco in the Rangers’ system.

The former Mets ace will opt in for the Rangers, as New York also sent cash to Texas in the deal. Scherzer will get $22.5 million from the Rangers, while the Mets will cover more than $35 million of the remaining terms.

During the 2022 season, the former Mets pitcher was as advertised, with a 2.29 ERA in 145⅓ innings over 23 starts. But for 2023, Scherzer was inconsistent, as he was 9-4 with a 4.01 ERA, struck out 121 and walked 30 in 107⅔ innings, and allowed a National League-high 23 home runs.

The Rangers, top of the AL West with the fifth-best record in the MLB at 60-46, have solidified their pitcher rotation with the Scherzer addition. Texas will look to make a run at the playoffs as they currently have a one-game lead ahead of the Houston Astros in the AL West.