Insider makes admission about Mets' NL East chances

Here's how one insider thinks the New York Mets would fare in the NL East with their current roster.

Aug 14, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets owner Steve Cohen stands on the field before a ceremony to honor first baseman Pete Alonso (not pictured) for breaking the Mets all time home run record before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Many within the baseball community expected the NL East to be among the best divisions during the 2025 regular season.

While the Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals were never expected to make much of a splash, the New York Mets, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Atlanta Braves were projected to be a three-headed monster fighting for supremacy at the top of the division. And given that only one team could win the division outright, it seemed likely that at least one of the two teams that didn't win the division would earn a Wild Card spot in the postseason.

This is not how things turned out. While the Phillies put together another solid season with a 96-66 record, the Braves were among the most disappointing teams in the league, going 76-86.

Sep 19, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. (13) watches the action from the dugout bench against the Detroit Tigers in the fourth inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Then there's the Mets, who were one of baseball's best in the season's first half before collapsing down the stretch. They finished with an 83-79 record and missed the playoffs, thus making Philadelphia the only NL East team to make the postseason.

But 2025 is now in the rearview mirror, and each team has a clean slate. While no NL East team has done anything spectacular (the Nationals and Marlins project to be average to mediocre again), the Braves should rebound to at least .500 after signing Robert Suarez and Raisel Iglesias, plus the Phillies re-signed Kyle Schwarber, and could still get Bo Bichette.

Read more: What Mets' competitors are offering Kyle Tucker

Jeff Passan speaks on Mets' chances of competing in the NL East

Mets fans know what their team has done to this point. And ESPN insider Jess Passan conveyed that what they've done is not enough in a January 14 article.

"Talent-wise, [the Mets' offseason moves] is at best a push, and while the lingering feeling that the Mets needed to completely upend their clubhouse coming off their September collapse drove much of their decision-making, competing in the NL East will presumably take more additions," he wrote.

Who's winning the winter -- and who still needs to make big moves to solidify theirs? Free at ESPN: The teams that have conquered this offseason and why paltry future free agent classes make moves for the best players available today imperative for others: https://t.co/JZ0u6YNnJc

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 14, 2026

Passan also noted that the Mets' signing Kyle Tucker and potentially Framber Valdez would completely change things in terms of how their offseason has fared to this point (which isn't a secret).

The Mets' true chances of succeeding in the NL East won't be clear until Opening Day, and so much can happen over a season that it's still too early to panic. But David Stearns and the rest of the Mets' front office need to step on the gas pedal.