Jared Young's Surge: Has 30-Year-Old Vet Earned Mets' Starting 1B Job?

For once and for all, a depth move made by David Stearns has paid off— it’s time to give him his flowers.

Just five days after the biggest move in franchise history, Stearns and the Mets turned to their further depth, adding Jared Young to the mix. When signed, the former Cub wasn’t expected to have a lasting impact on the major league squad, yet in 2026, Young may have found himself in a pivotal role.

Young is best known for his ability to drive the ball for extra bases, particularly pulling right-handed pitching for home runs. He also excels in drawing walks and getting on base, giving the Mets something they’ve yet to see from a majority of their lineup. Since his return on May 26, Young has provided the lineup with consistent hitting — some of the best on the team.

As of right now, the Mets definitely have something to ride with at first base, even with Jorge Polanco returning down the line. Here’s why starting Young for the time being makes complete sense.

Why Jared Young fits an everyday role

The 30-year-old has been the perfect offensive option since his return to action. In 25 games, Young holds a .288 BA with nine RBIs and a .890 OPS, while crushing four home runs. Three of the home runs have come in the last 10 games, while also displaying his consistency by reaching base, flexing a .360 OBP.

JARED YOUNG TIES THE GAME‼️

You seeing this @SleeperMariners? pic.twitter.com/G2WTHVw4LO
— SleeperMets (@SleeperMets) June 2, 2026

Young has started in 13 of his 14 games since returning due to his ability against righties and recent production being miles ahead of Mark Vientos. The 26-year-old has been a heavy disappointment, batting .211 through 56 games with a .611 OPS, with his last start coming against the Padres five days ago, where he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.

Vientos hasn't shown any signs of awakening his 2024 production, one that helped catapult the Met into the NLCS, led by several clutch moments and consistent power that gave the organization hope for the future. However, the Mets haven't given hope just yet, with President of Baseball Operations David Stearns commenting on his production prior to Friday's game against the Braves.

"He's working over there and I do believe it's within his skillset to be a quality first base defender," said Stearns when asked about Vientos defensively. "Offensively, he hasn't been his best, and he knows that."

David Stearns on Mark Vientos' defense: "He's working over there and I do believe it's within his skillset to be a quality first base defender"

On his offense: "It hasn't been his best, and he knows that" pic.twitter.com/90mMn9Lct4
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) June 12, 2026

However, the numbers provide evidence to the contrary, with Vientos posting a -0.9 WAR, the fifth-worst in baseball. One of the biggest worries for Young is the potential risk of failing to sustain a solid level of play.

That's something the Mets witnessed with MJ Melendez earlier in the season, where he went on a hot stretch to start his tenure in Queens, following it up with a 2-for-32 stretch over 10 games in May. For now, the Mets just need to ride out the hot hand, even if it leads to a collapse down the line.

For a Mets team struggling to find consistency on offense, they must turn to players who’ve found recent success. As a team, the Mets rank 29th with a .658 OPS while batting .228. An issue Carlos Mendoza has had when putting the lineup out is force-feeding opportunities to struggling veterans, failing to turn to players actively producing.

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