Mets Legends Weigh in on Team's Ongoing Struggles

Mental mistakes, pitching woes and underperforming players were three things never associated with the 1986 Mets. Their World Series championship was built on hard work, hustle and dominant pitching. Forty years later, the 2026 Mets have been defined by the opposite.

On Friday, Mets legends Keith Hernandez and Darryl Strawberry joined Sal Licata at Fanatics Fest for a live edition of SNY's Baseball Night in New York to discuss what has gone wrong with the 2026 Mets.

Keith Hernandez and Darryl Strawberry join Sal Licata at Fanatics Fest for @SNYtv’s “Baseball Night in New York” 🔥🍿 pic.twitter.com/FeuwVLHFHt
— SleeperMets (@SleeperMets) July 17, 2026

"There's no real No. 1 reason. There are a lot of reasons," Hernandez said. "Injuries, pitching, the bullpen has been shaky recently. The newcomers haven't done the job. They haven't performed up to expectations. That's a question you want to ask them. It's been a tough year."

It's been the painful truth since the opening week of the season. Jorge Polanco suffered an Achilles injury during the second game of the year that lingered through mid-April before sidelining him for more than two months. Juan Soto then suffered a calf injury on April 3, missing 19 days before returning, only for Francisco Lindor to suffer the same injury and remain sidelined until late June.

Even with Soto, Lindor and Polanco back in the lineup, Clay Holmes remains on the injured list, while Luis Robert has been out since late April.

As Hernandez noted, the newcomers also haven't lived up to the expectations that accompanied their arrival. Bo Bichette has finally returned to his star form, batting .274 with nine RBI and a .718 OPS, but he started the season slowly, batting .225 through his first 56 games.

Francisco Lindor's struggles

The newcomers haven't been the only issue. Veteran players who have made long-term impacts on the organization over the last several seasons have also struggled, including one many fans consider the team's captain.

"I can't explain it. I always knew how many outs there were," Hernandez said sarcastically when asked what's gone wrong with Francisco Lindor. "Francisco hasn't hit since coming off the injury. He made those mental errors before he got hurt, so I don't know what's going on."

The 2026 season has been brutal for the Mets' All-Star shortstop. He missed spring training because of a hamate fracture before enduring another typical slow start. Bad luck struck the 33-year-old again when a calf injury sidelined him until late June.

Even after returning, Lindor hasn't looked like himself. He has made mental mistakes in the field while batting .210 through 41 games, striking out 27 times and driving in just 12 RBI. The fan base has seemingly turned on him, with many wanting the Mets to move on from their five-year shortstop. However, Strawberry offered a rebuttal.

"Coming back from injury, you have to get back into the flow of things," Strawberry said. "Lindor is a great player. He shouldn't be traded. He will be one of the greatest shortstops in the game."

The Mets have their hands tied when it comes to a potential Lindor trade because the shortstop holds a full no-trade clause after recently completing five years in Queens. Even if Lindor were to waive the clause, it's unlikely a contending team would take on his long-term contract, meaning if a trade were to happen, it would likely come during the offseason.

What comes next for the Mets

The Mets will be busy over the next two weeks, moving multiple expiring contracts in hopes of retooling their farm system. The organization's future will also be prioritized, building around a strong outfield core of A.J. Ewing, Carson Benge and Juan Soto, while Nolan McLean and Christian Scott project as two rotation options.

"They need a lot of help," Hernandez said. "We don't know what they're going to do. It's hard to find a big bat. It's hard to forecast where this club is going."

The Mets are clearly missing an impactful bat offensively after Pete Alonso departed in free agency, never receiving a call from David Stearns. The former All-Star has hit 21 home runs with 66 RBI through 98 games while posting an .815 OPS.

Simply adding Alonso's home run production to the current Mets roster, a team that ranks 14th in baseball in home runs, would move them into the top three, which would likely have changed the course of their season.

As Hernandez shared, it's difficult to see where this Mets club goes from here, especially with players like Luke Weaver and Clay Holmes serving as potential question marks because of the value they could bring beyond the 2026 season.

Strawberry believes the Mets still have an opportunity to compete following this season by building around Soto, Lindor and their young trio. Hernandez, however, left the audience with a shocking response.

"If I were their GM, I'd resign. I'd quit. I wouldn't know what to do."

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