Mets May Have Just Stumbled Into Something They Can't Ignore

It isn't being a prisoner of the moment to suggest that the decision to let Pete Alonso walk last offseason will probably always haunt the Mets. The slugger was beloved in Queens, and for good reason. He produced offensively at a high-level consistently and could always be counted on to put the team on his back. His pure power alone has been hard to replace.

Not only that, but the Mets are discovering in real time that the grass isn't always greener on the other side. While never a good defender, Alonso was a way better option than what the Mets paraded out at first base for much of the year.

Jorge Polanco signed to play the position despite being alien to it and, perhaps predictably, made just two outings at first all year. Mark Vientos got more reps early on, but the experiment was a bust, as Vientos proved to be not even an average defender.

But then, out of nowhere, a solution to all of the Mets' first base problems seemingly dropped out of the sky. Jared Young, who spent most of his career in the KBO, has provided a stabilizing presence at the position while showing that he could be the team's everyday first baseman in 2027, too.

Jared Young is proving to be a solid 1B option for Mets

Young's long, winding journey to Major League Baseball should go down as one of the feel-good stories of the entire year. The veteran was drafted by the Cubs before opting to take his talents to Korea after failing to stick in the Majors. He then signed with the Mets prior to the 2025 season, and Young has had to bide his time for his first real crack at an everyday opportunity.

Well, he's certainly made the most of his chance. Over 85 games played, Young leads the Mets in OPS with a .770 mark. Yes, you read that right. His RBI double against the Brewers on Thursday put him in the team lead ahead of the likes of Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, and Bo Bichette, and he's good value for it.

The Mets are on the board!

Their first hit against Jacob Misiorowski is a Jared Young RBI double pic.twitter.com/Nbjz4UEkok
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 28, 2026

In all, Young is hitting .268/.330/.440/.770 with 15 doubles, two triples, eight homers, 18 walks, 32 runs scored and 32 RBIs. Those numbers might be even more impressive had Young not missed six weeks with a torn meniscus in his left knee. Still, he's hardly missed a beat since returning, and he's provided a real boon to the lineup.

Plus, Young has also offered the Mets some stability at first base. He's now played 13 consecutive games, with 11 of those coming at first. With 420 putouts, 31 assists, and just four errors, he's been more than effective. He's not a game-changer in the field or at the plate, but he can be relied upon to do his job day in and day out. That's important.

So, what does the future look like for Young?

He's still under team control for five more seasons, and he's already earned a place on the 2027 roster. The only question left is just how big a role Young will play. It seems unlikely that the Mets will look externally for a first baseman given the lack of real needle-moving options available in free agency. Furthermore, the trade capital that would be needed to deal for a legit first baseman would be better spent on upgrading the rotation and rebuilding the bullpen.

So, while I don't think Young is the long-term answer at first, he's certainly proven that he's capable of manning the position full-time in 2027. If the Mets decide to move on from Vientos and make Polanco a full-time designated hitter, then maybe adding a right-handed bat to platoon with Young at first would be the way to go in 2027.

Regardless of what moves they do make, the Mets had totally screwed the pooch when it came to handling first base. But thanks to Young's surprising emergence, they've maybe stumbled into a way to make the position less of a glaring issue in 2027.

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