How the Mets’ Seven Dreadful Offseason Decisions Could Haunt Them in the Future

After missing the 2025 postseason via tiebreaker with a mediocre 83–79 record, the Mets underwent an aggressive offseason makeover during which they doled out roughly $250 million worth of contracts to free agents and trade acquisitions. Owner Steve Cohen didn’t hesitate to splash the cash, and New York entered the season with the league’s highest payroll. Things haven’t gone to plan for the franchise, however, as they limped out of the gate this season and have failed to generate any meaningful momentum, appearing destined for a last-place finish in the NL East.

That's a monumentally disappointing result after the Mets moved aggressively over the winter in hopes of building a World Series-caliber team. Instead of competing for a championship, they’re well out of the postseason picture, and they own the the third-worst record in the National League. As the team looks ahead to 2027, we’re going to look at some of their biggest blunders of the offseason, and discuss how they’ll impact the team going forward.

Before we get into the specific deals, it’s important to note that simply having as vast of a payroll as the Mets will force the team to pay the highest-possible tax rates. Because their payroll was as high as $356 million this season, the team is on the hook for a tax bill worth around $100 million. In addition to the hefty tax hit, New York’s payroll exceeds the league’s CBT (competitive balance tax) threshold. Teams with payrolls that exceed the CBT are penalized by MLB, resulting in their first-round draft pick dropping 10 positions, unless they finish the season with a pick inside the top six. At present, the Mets are pacing to finish with the No. 6 pick, which could thus be dropped 10 spots as a result of their spending.

The Mets will continue to field a highly-paid roster at least through the 2028 season. After ‘28, they’ll have much more financial flexibility, as most of their top earners, excluding Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor, will be off the books. That was, seemingly, part of their calculated risk when spending big money last offseason, though that risk hasn’t quite paid off. Until then, they’ll continue to field one of the league’s top-earning rosters, and as a result will also be paying a fortune in tax hits.

With all that in mind, let’s revisit some of their biggest moves of the offseason and decipher the impact they’ll have on the team and its financial flexibility in the years to come.

Trading for Freddy Peralta

MLB — Freddy Peralta had a disappointing stint with the Mets. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In addition to the Robert trade, New York also made an aggressive move to acquire Freddy Peralta from the Brewers, dealing their top two prospects, RHP Brandon Sproat and INF Jett Williams, to Milwaukee in exchange for the right-hander. Peralta’s Mets tenure was not one to remember. He made 22 starts for the organization and owned a 4.99 ERA before the team pulled the plug and shipped him to the Rays in exchange for a package of prospects (OF Aidan Smith, INF Émilien Pitre and RHP Gary Gill Hill) that was far less valuable than what they gave up to acquire him.

There were lofty expectations for Peralta, who was expected to spearhead New York’s rotation and provide them with a reliable frontline starter. Instead, he generated -0.4 bWAR during his stay in Queens and saw his numbers dip across the board. Just last season in Milwaukee, Peralta had one of the best seasons of his career, posting a 2.70 ERA and recording 204 strikeouts––his third consecutive season with 200-plus Ks. He owned a 10-plus K/9 in each of the three prior campaigns, but that figure dropped to 8.9 during his 22 starts for the Mets in ‘26.

Looking ahead, the Mets were quick to cut ties with Peralta, which was a wise move considering he’ll be due for a new contract during the offseason. They got some young pieces back in the trade with the Rays, but ultimately the lasting effects of the Peralta experiment are that New York significantly weakened its farm system, hampering its ability to build from within in order to get the team back on track. The team essentially turned its top two prospects (Sproat and Williams) into a trio of prospects that don’t rank inside its current top 10, per MLB Pipeline.

Signing Jorge Polanco

Jorge Polanco inked a two-year, $40 million deal after an impressive season with the Mariners in ‘25. He was signed as a means of replacing Pete Alonso at first base after the slugger departed for Baltimore, but ultimately an Achilles tendon injury prevented him from seeing the field much at all. Polanco is set to miss the remainder of the season after appearing in just 37 games for the Mets. Prior to the injury, Polanco registered -1.4 bWAR and hit just two home runs with six RBIs. He struck out 36 times and had an abysmal .431 OPS.

Polanco will be back in a Mets uniform in 2027, and he’ll be in line to make $23 million, making him one of the team’s highest-paid players despite his lack of production since arriving in Queens. Where he’ll play remains a question, however. He doesn’t have a lot of experience at first base, and the team may look to address that position in free agency. With the rest of the infield occupied by Bo Bichette (third base), Francisco Lindor (shortstop) and Marcus Semien (second base), Polanco may be forced into a platoon role of sorts, or could become the team’s full-time DH––a move which could help him stay on the field and off the IL. Polanco almost certainly won’t be in New York beyond ‘27, but the team will try to get the most out of him while he’s still on the books for next season.

Trading for Luis Robert Jr.

MLB — Luis Robert Jr. was waived by the Mets and claimed by the Orioles | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Mets put Luis Robert Jr. on waivers on Aug. 31, where the veteran outfielder was claimed by the Orioles. New York had only just acquired Robert during the offseason in a trade with the White Sox, sending Luisangel Acuña (younger brother of Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr.) and right-handed pitcher Truman Pauley to Chicago in exchange for the oft-injured outfielder. Robert played in a total of 58 games for the Mets before the team decided to cut ties with him. He recorded 10 home runs, 23 RBIs and had a .702 OPS during his brief time with the franchise.

Because he was claimed by Baltimore, however, New York is off the hook for the $2 million buyout it would’ve owed Robert had they made the obvious decision of declining his $20 million player option for ‘27. The Robert deal was another disappointment, but it won’t hinder their future much, if at all.

Signing Bo Bichette

MLB — Bo Bichette is in the first year of a three-year contract with the Mets. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In an effort to bolster the offense, the Mets signed Bo Bichette to a lucrative deal in free agency––a three-year, $126 million contract. It’s safe to say, through nearly a full season, that Bichette has not lived up to expectations. He got off to a woeful start to the season after moving from shortstop to third base. Through the end of May, Bichette owned a sub-.600 OPS and, despite historically being an excellent contact hitter, was batting just .219. He’s marginally improved his play since then, now up to a .702 OPS, though that’s still a tad below league average.

Considering the contract he signed and the expectations attached to it, he’s been a major disappointment. Bichette’s deal includes player options for the ‘27 and ‘28 seasons, each worth $42 million. He has no reason to opt out of the deal, and wouldn’t see that kind of money on the open market if he did, so Bichette figures to remain in New York for two more seasons at a cost of $84 million. Thus far into his Mets tenure, the Bichette deal was a swing and miss. The contract may wind up looking even worse if MLB gets its way in CBA negotiations this offseason and implements a hard salary cap. The league proposed a salary cap hard ceiling of $245.3 million, and the Mets’ current payroll sits nearly $100 million over that figure. If the salary cap ends up coming to fruition, Bichette would be responsible for roughly 17% of the team’s total payroll for each of the next two seasons, which would in turn limit the organization’s ability to add talent.

Trading for Marcus Semien

The offseason acquisition of Marcus Semien from the Rangers for Brandon Nimmo was intended to improve New York’s defense, but the 35-year-old hasn’t been sharp at second base. Semien currently has -7 outs above average, per Statcast, which is 39th among the 40 qualified players at the position, ahead of only Jose Altuve. His offensive numbers have been dreadful, too. Semien has -0.2 fWAR and a 76 wRC+ this season, with 14 home runs and 46 RBIs.

Semien is under contract for an additional two seasons, slated to make $26 million in 2027 and another $20 million in ‘28. That’s quite the fee to pay an aging veteran who is struggling both at the plate and in the field. The Semien deal is interesting in that he has been less productive than Nimmo, but the Mets will also be free of his contract far sooner. Nimmo is under contract through the 2030 season, and he’ll be making $20.5 million in each of the next four years. While the Semien contract isn’t ideal, the team will have more financial flexibility when it expires. Still, he’s been a net negative in ‘26, and he’ll be the team’s fourth-highest earner in ‘27 and ‘28.

Letting Pete Alonso leave in free agency

Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso — Pete Alonso leads the American League with 97 RBIs in addition to 34 home runs. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Mets decided to let Pete Alonso depart in free agency without even making him an offer. Alonso signed a five-year, $155 million deal with the Orioles, where he’s enjoyed an excellent season. Alonso has a .859 OPS and has hit 35 home runs with an AL-high 100 RBIs in Baltimore.

Had Alonso produced those numbers in a Mets uniform, he’d be the team’s leader in most offensive categories. None of New York’s hitters have more than 25 home runs or 73 RBIs, and the only player with a higher OPS than Alonso is Juan Soto, who has been limited to 99 games on the year. The Mets rank 24th in team OPS (.703) and are 23rd with a .395 slugging percentage. Alonso would’ve provided a tremendous boost in both categories, but the team opted to splash its cash elsewhere and allow him to leave after seven seasons with the organization.

Worse still, the team didn’t find a true replacement for Alonso in the offseason. Jorge Polanco was brought aboard and intended to be used at first base, but injuries derailed that plan. Jared Young has been getting the bulk of the work at first base lately, and the team may lean on him again next season as a cost-friendly option. While Young has been surprisingly effective, he’s not the kind of game-changing hitter the Mets had in Alonso. The decision to let Alonso leave to avoid giving him a long-term contract was a questionable one, and given how unsuccessful the team’s efforts to replace him have been, it may continue to haunt the franchise for years to come.

Signing Devin Williams

Another offseason acquisition gone wrong for the Mets was the three-year, $51 million deal they gave to former Yankees reliever Devin Williams in free agency. Williams, currently on the IL, has had a disastrous season in Queens, logging a 4.66 ERA and a -0.6 bWAR. Williams is making $12 million annually through 2028, and is also owed $15 million in deferred money, of which he’ll be paid $1.5 million per year from 2036 to 2045. Williams has surrendered career highs in H/9 (10.0) and BB/9 (4.9), and although he remains an effective strikeout pitcher (51 Ks in 38 2/3 innings), he’s regressed a bit in that regard, too, logging an 11.9 K/9––his lowest in a season since his rookie year in 2019.

Not accounting for the deferrals in his deal, Williams is MLB’s 10th-highest paid relief pitcher. For a team that could be desperate to shed payroll if a salary cap is introduced, they may end up regretting the Williams signing even more. Like Bichette and Semien, Williams is under contract through the ‘28 season. The Mets will have to navigate the financial burdens in the short term, but will have much more flexibility after that season.

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