After a hugely disappointing 2025, David Stearns vowed to make significant changes to the team, and the players and coaches showing up in Port St. Lucie in a few weeks will look very different from last year.
As Stearns said this week, “There’s going to be a lot of guys in our clubhouse who have no connection at all to what happened to us in ’25. And I think that’s healthy and I think that’s good for us.”
Here’s a look at who’s here – and who’s not.
IN
Bo Bichette
After losing Pete Alonso, the Mets waited to add another big right-handed bat. They got Bichette, one of the best ball-to-bat hitters in the game and considered an excellent presence in the clubhouse. Can the old shortstop play third base? We’re about to find out, but he doesn’t turn 28 until March and is an excellent athlete, even if he’s had some injuries.
Freddy Peralta
Arrived in a trade from Stearns’ old Brewers team, along with right-hander Tobias Myers. The 29-year-old is expected to pitch near or at the top of the rotation and will be a free agent after this season, so the pressure will be on both Peralta and the Mets, who gave up a pair of top players in Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams for one-year starters.
Luis Robert Jr.
The Mets jumped at the chance that the center fielder could recapture what he showed in 2023, when he was among the best players against the White Sox. He struggled with injuries and had too many strikeouts over the past two years.
Jorge Polanco
This game had a lot of people scratching their heads when it first happened, as Polanco has primarily played in the middle of the diamond and the Mets are there with Francisco Lindor at shortstop and newly arrived Marcus Semien at second. But the Mets believe the 32-year-old switch-hitter, who is coming off perhaps his best season, can make the move to first base.
Devin Williams
When the Mets signed Williams, Edwin Díaz was still on the market and there was a chance Williams would settle for him. Instead, Díaz went to the Dodgers, leaving Williams to try to bounce back as closer in New York after failing in the role with the Yankees last season.
Marcus Semien
Semien’s arrival to play second base gave the Mets a significant upgrade in their infield defense, which was one of Stearns’ stated goals. At 35 years old and with some down years under his belt, there are certainly questions about other parts of his game.
Lucas Weaver
The right-hander has proven he can pitch in big places in New York, having done so with the Yankees when they reached the World Series in 2024. The 32-year-old was inconsistent last season, but still effective.
Tobias Myers
Not just a throw-in as part of the Peralta deal, the right-hander has the ability to start and pitch out of the bullpen. He also shut out the Mets for five innings in a 2024 postseason start.
Luis Garcia
The 38-year-old journeyman gives the Mets another right-hander in the bullpen.
Coaching staff
Justin Willard was hired as the new pitching coach after serving as pitching director with the Red Sox, and Troy Snitker, the former Houston hitting coach and son of former Braves manager Brian Snitker, was brought in as hitting coach. Kai Correa (bench coach), Gilbert Gomez (first base), Tim Leiper (third base) and JP Arencibia (catchers) are some of the other new faces on the coaching staff.
Out
Pete Alonso
Just a few months after breaking Darryl Strawberry’s franchise record for home runs, Alonso (right) signed a five-year, $155 million contract to join Baltimore. The Polar Bear will see how many home runs he can hit at Camden Yards while the Mets let him go without a fight.
Edwin Diaz
After seeing their return to elite form, the Mets attempted to retain Díaz (left), but he took a slightly bigger deal to go to the Dodgers, leaving a hole in the bullpen.
Brandon Nimmo
The organization’s 2011 first-round pick ranks anywhere in the top 10 in franchise history, from runs scored to plate appearances, but the Mets decided to move on from the 32-year-old with five years and just over $100 million left on his contract, trading him to Texas.
Jeff McNeil
Like Nimmo, McNeil spent his entire professional career with the Mets until they traded him to the A’s, as his production at the plate and defensive versatility declined.
Luisangel Acuna
The former top prospect likely didn’t play much of a role on this Mets team, with their infielder-heavy roster, and was sent to Chicago in exchange for Robert.
Coaching staff
Perhaps the biggest surprise surrounding the shakeup within Carlos Mendoza’s staff: highly respected pitching coach Jeremy Hefner was let go and quickly picked up in the same role by the Mets’ rivals in Atlanta. Hitting coaches Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes were also fired, and bench coach John Gibbons, third base coach Mike Sarbaugh and catching coordinator Glenn Sherlock also won’t be returning.
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