Mets' 2026 Turnaround Will Come Down to One Group of Players

May 27, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets right fielder Carson Benge (3) reacts to hitting an RBI single against the Cincinnati Reds during the fifth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

The New York Mets entered play on Friday against the Marlins eight games behind the final NL Wild Card spot in the loss column, a significant hole for them to be in. The first two months could not have gone worse for the Mets, and calls for a change in leadership within the organization have not gone quietly. If New York is going to save its season and go on a run, it needs to start with this upcoming series.

The Mets started to show life on their last road trip, reaching a stretch of winning six of seven games, most of which included strong pitching and enough offense to back it up. At ten games under .500, the club is a few series wins in a row from being within reach of .500, and that would be enough to consider them back on the outskirts of the NL Wild Card picture.

If the Mets are going to revive their season, it is going to come down to a specific group of their players. The group that seemed to revive the Mets' hopes against the Tigers and Yankees was their young group of hitters, specifically the duo of AJ Ewing and Carson Benge. Add in the stellar performance lately of their younger starters, and the younger New York players might be the keys to reviving their season.

The Mets' playoff hopes hang in the hands of their young players

If the Mets are going to climb back into the 2026 NL playoff picture, they are going to need to be led by their young players, both on the mound and at the plate.

With all the injuries they have and the extent to which they have derailed their season thus far, there's no choice but to rely on their rookies, and they have come through thus far. A sustained level of production from a quintet of specific players could make or break the Mets' season.

At the plate, the duo of lefty-hitting outfielders, Ewing and Benge, is going to be pivotal in how the team runs the bases and how often the table is set for contributors.

The Mets' lineup got deeper with the return of Jared Young, and could continue to move in that direction with Jorge Polanco sliding back into the middle of the order, allowing Ewing and Benge to serve in more secondary roles. Both have incredible eyes and fast feet, which could let them cause havoc on the base paths in front of the likes of Polanco, Young, Juan Soto, and Bo Bichette.

On the mound, the trio of Christian Scott, Nolan McLean, and Jonah Tong will make or break the Mets' starting pitching this year, effectively deciding the year. Scott has turned in an incredibly nice start to the season and has been the Mets' best starter in recent weeks. Tong has allowed just one run in 6.2 innings since being called back up, and McLean is still a Rookie of the Year candidate, despite a few brutal starts in a row.

Assuming Peralta isn't traded before late July if he indeed does go, this gives the Mets a rotation of the three youngsters and Peralta, with, at least for now, Sean Manaea occupying the final spot. Even if the Mets' ace from 2024 can find even 75% of what he was that year, the Mets' rotation could quickly turn into one of baseball's best.