What's next for the Mets? What big spenders need now and this offseason to compete in 2027

The spiraling New York Mets on Friday morning took the long-anticipated step of firing manager Carlos Mendoza and replacing him with former Padres skipper Andy Green on an interim basis. The move happened as the Mets have, at present, lost six in a row and fallen to a season-worst 13 games below .500. That 34-47 record puts them on a 94-loss pace. Needless to say, the Mets' playoff odds, even with the third wild-card spot available in each league, are dismal, even if lead decision-maker David Stearns has not yet fully committed to a deadline sell-off.

The Mets enter a weekend series against the Phillies with the third-worst record in the National League and they are 9 ½ games out of a playoff spot.

Barring a miraculous rise up the standings, the Mets' 2026 season is a squandered one, and that means the focus shifts to 2027 -- a season upon which Stearns' job may hinge (assuming it isn't already in peril). So what could lead to a reversal of fortunes in Queens next season? Let's have a look at the Mets' 2027 wish-list as they find themselves at an organizational crossroads.

Better health

Without question, injuries to key contributors have hit the Mets hard thus far in 2026. Star shortstop Francisco Lindor suffered a hamate bone injury in spring training, and that required surgery. He made it back by Opening Day, but it's possible such a troublesome wrist injury was still compromising him at the plate. Then a calf strain cost Lindor two months, and at this writing he's played in just 25 games this season. 

Lindor isn't far removed from being one of the best players in all of baseball for the Mets from 2022-25, and he's certainly not the kind of player type who suffers premature decline. Getting a healthy and close-to-peak Lindor in 2027 is a necessity.

Then there's Juan Soto. The Mets' lineup fulcrum missed about three weeks earlier this season with a calf strain of his own, and now -- just in time for Lindor's return from the injured list -- he's been limited by back problems. Elsewhere, Clay Holmes, whose transition from reliever to starter on the Mets' watch has gone swimmingly, is on the 60-day IL with a fractured fibula. Jorge Polanco, signed this past offseason to replace some of Pete Alonso's production, dealt with an Achilles issue early in the season, and he's been out since the middle of April with a wrist contusion. Polanco has played in 14 of the Mets' 81 games thus far. Luis Robert Jr. has been out since late April with a herniated disk in his back. Catcher Francisco Alvarez also missed a chunk of time.

Those are all core players -- or were anticipated to be core players -- who have lost chunks of their 2026 seasons thus far to injuries. To be sure, Polanco and Robert have an established history of getting hurt, but Lindor and Soto have regularly answered the bell for years. At the very least, they need full-ish seasons in 2027 from their two biggest stars.

A fortified rotation... that includes Tarik Skubal?

The Mets' rotation right now has been a major flop. Right now, Mets' starting pitchers rank 28th in MLB in ERA, and you simply can't contend with a rotation that's allowing that many runs. In terms of fielding-independent pitching, or FIP, the Mets' rotation checks in at a much more respectable 13th in MLB. That suggests they've been a bit unlucky thus far, so perhaps the foundation in place is a bit more firm than the ERA would lead you to believe.

It remains to be seen what the trade deadline means on this front. Freddy Peralta seems like a good bet to be moved should Stearns (wisely) decide to sell, but Peralta's a pending free agent anyway. Holmes, even though he's likely going to be on the IL until after the deadline, may also be moved. However, he's on a $12 million player option for next season, and given Holmes' success as a starter since 2025 he seems likely to test the market.

As for what is coming back, high-ceiling youngster Nolan McLean has endured some fits and starts in his rookie season, but there's no doubting he's rotation fixture for the Mets for years to come. Tylor Megill, who underwent Tommy John surgery in September of last year, should be up for a full 2026, and his strikeout chops should help stabilize the back end. Maybe prospect Jonah Tong will be a factor, but he's had a disaster of a season at Triple-A this year. Right-hander Christian Scott, soon to return from the IL (hip), has a 95 mph fastball that plays up because of good plate-ward extension off the mound. and he fared well across nine starts this season. He should probably be able to take regular turns next season, at least until further notice.

What's clear is that outside additions will be necessary if the Mets are aiming to contend in 2027 and beyond. Reigning back-to-back American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal should be the priority target. He's headed for free agency, and although we don't know what the offseason will look like thanks to ongoing labor strife, Skubal is made-to-order for the Mets and the vast resources of owner Steve Cohen. Will Skubal see the Mets as an alluring destination? That's the unknown, but they should go full-bore after him. The quality of the class of free agent starters drops off swiftly after that, depending upon how you interpret Peralta's uncharacteristic struggles this season, which means the Mets may also need to take a swing on less of a known quantity. Dustin May, whose mutual option with the Cardinals probably means free agency, is at least somewhat interesting given his ongoing revival. Brandon Woodruff is another pending free agent, and he has a long record of success when healthy plus ties to Stearns back in Milwaukee. Matthew Boyd is another mututal-option guy who's likely to find his way to the market. There are appealing depth options, but landing Skubal has to be mission No. 1 for the Mets this coming winter.

Bo Bichette to find his level

Circling back to the lineup, youngsters Carson Benge and AJ Ewing look like long-term presences in the outfield, but what the Mets really need is for Bichette to produce like he did during his peak Toronto years. That's especially the case given the uncertainty provided by decline-phase Marcus Semien and failure-to-launch Mark Vientos elsewhere in the infield. 

Bichette's been raking in June, and overall his xwOBA -- a measure of what a hitter's production should be based on quality of contact -- says he's been pretty unlucky in 2026. The Mets need the Bichette they signed last offseason, and recent signs point to his being just that. All of this, of course, is assuming Bichette doesn't opt out after this season.

As any fan or team exec can tell you, it's hard for a complete wish list to be realized, and this applies to the Mets of 2027. Many of these things need to happen for the Mets, though, at least if they're going to make their paying customers forget the angst of 2026 (and, for that matter, the angst of the 2025 stretch drive). If that doesn't come to pass, then the Mets' front office may be in for yet another round of upheaval.

The Mets' 2026 season isn't looking like one of relevance, but as soon as the offseason begins, the stakes in Queens will become much, much greater.