The Mets arrive in Port St. Lucie with nearly a third of the roster turned over, a new ace at the top of the rotation, and one of the most explosive lineups in baseball on paper. After consecutive disappointing finishes and the departures of several franchise pillars, this camp doubles as a chemistry test, a pitching lab, and a referendum on whether an aggressive winter can vault New York back into true contender status
The Mets arrive in Port St. Lucie with nearly a third of the roster turned over, a new ace at the top of the rotation, and one of the most explosive lineups in baseball on paper. After consecutive disappointing finishes and the departures of several franchise pillars, this camp doubles as a chemistry test, a pitching lab, and a referendum on whether an aggressive winter can vault New York back into true contender status.
New faces, new core
This winter’s work completely reshaped the everyday group, with Bo Bichette, Luis Robert Jr., Marcus Semien, and Jorge Polanco all projected to start alongside returning superstar Juan Soto and cornerstone shortstop Francisco Lindor. Bichette signed a three‑year, high‑dollar deal after the club pivoted from an aggressive but unsuccessful pursuit of Kyle Tucker, and he is expected to slot into the heart of the order while manning third base.
Robert arrives via a prospect‑heavy trade with the White Sox and gives the Mets an elite defensive center fielder to anchor the outfield between Soto in right and, potentially, young slugger Carson Benge in left. Semien, acquired from Texas in a blockbuster that sent Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers, steps in at second base to steady the right side of the infield, while Polanco is expected to spend a lot of time at first base and DH after posting strong power numbers in 2025.
Those arrivals came at a cost, as franchise stalwarts Pete Alonso, Nimmo, Jeff McNeil, Starling Marte, and former closer Edwin Díaz are all gone, leaving this spring as a clear transition point from the previous core to a new identity built around Lindor, Soto, Bichette, Robert, and Semien.
Who’s gone – and what it means
The loss of Alonso’s middle‑of‑the‑order thunder and Nimmo’s on‑base skills forces the Mets to manufacture runs differently, but the front office believes spreading production across multiple stars will make the lineup more resilient. With McNeil and Marte also departing, the club sacrificed familiarity and some contact skills in favor of upgraded defense up the middle and more extra‑base power from several spots.
On the pitching side, the bullpen turns the page from Díaz by installing Devin Williams as the presumed closer, with Luke Weaver, Brooks Raley, Luis García, and potentially Craig Kimbrel all in the late‑inning mix. Those moves essentially replace previous depth options like Griffin Canning and Ryne Stanek and are designed to raise the unit’s strikeout ceiling while still giving manager Carlos Mendoza multiple closing‑experience options if roles shift during camp.
Rotation reset: Peralta and the pitching outlook
The most dramatic change on the mound is the Freddy Peralta trade, which sent top prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat to Milwaukee in exchange for a legitimate number‑one starter and swingman Tobias Myers. Peralta, coming off a Cy Young caliber season, now fronts a projected rotation that includes Nolan McLean, Sean Manaea, David Peterson, and Kodai Senga, with internal competition and a possible six‑man look on the table.
Senga is one of camp’s biggest storylines, trying to rebound from a rough 2025 that included a demotion and lingering health concerns, and a strong spring could push the Mets toward carrying six starters early to manage workloads. Behind the main group, Myers offers length as a depth starter or multi‑inning reliever, while young arms such as Dylan Ross and non‑roster options like Ryan Lambert will try to pitch their way into the bullpen conversation.
In relief, Williams’ elite changeup gives New York a potential lockdown option in the ninth, with Weaver, Raley, and García penciled in as setup pieces and veterans like Kimbrel and A.J. Minter (if healthy) battling for spots alongside Brazobán, Austin Warren, and others. The overall group is deeper than a year ago, but the club will use Grapefruit League innings to sort out roles, test leverage combinations, and see if anyone can emerge as a second dominant late‑inning weapon next to Williams.
Offensive firepower and lineup shape
On paper, this might be the most dangerous Mets lineup in years, with Francisco Álvarez behind the plate, Polanco at first, Semien at second, Bichette at third, and Lindor at shortstop forming an infield that can hit for power at every spot. The outfield of Benge, Robert, and Soto gives the club a balance of youth, defense, and elite on‑base and slugging ability, while the DH mix featuring Polanco, Ronny Mauricio, Mark Vientos, and others gives Mendoza flexibility to ride hot bats and protect veterans.
Projection systems see Bichette and Soto as middle‑of‑the‑order anchors, with Bichette expected to hit for a strong average with solid power and Soto remaining one of the game’s premier on‑base threats. Semien and Polanco add right‑handed thump and defensive stability, while Lindor remains the clubhouse fulcrum and two‑way star, and how quickly this group clicks will go a long way toward determining whether the Mets can weather inevitable pitching hiccups.
Bench roles will be sorted in camp, with players like Brett Baty, Vientos, Vidal Bruján, Tyrone Taylor, and backup catcher options behind Álvarez all fighting for at‑bats and roster spots as the club weighs versatility, minor‑league options, and handedness.
2026 outlook – contender, with real questions
The Mets enter 2026 spring training as a clear win‑now club, boasting a rotation led by Peralta, a rebuilt bullpen around Williams, and a star‑studded lineup that can score in bunches. The upside is a legitimate division title push and a deep October run if the new core stays healthy and Senga plus the back of the rotation stabilize, but the downside risk is evident if the pitching falters or the defensive reshuffling on the infield corners doesn’t take.
With 29 Grapefruit League games on the schedule and a March 26 home opener against the Pirates, the next six weeks in Port St. Lucie will be about turning offseason headlines into on‑field coherence. If the Mets can answer their rotation questions, define bullpen roles, and blend their new stars with established leaders, they will leave Florida looking every bit like one of the National League’s most dangerous, must‑watch contenders
