Why a Strong Finish Is Important for the Mets' 2027 Outlook

The New York Mets are playing good baseball down the stretch. Finishing strong could pay big dividends for them in 2027.

Juan Soto and the Mets can set a positive example for 2027 by finishing 2026 strong. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The regular season is winding down, and the Mets aren't playing like their games don't matter. Even though the season essentially ended when they lost 12 games in a row in April, the arrival of Andy Green as interim skipper appears to have been a turning point for their year.

The Mets have gone 29-30 since Green succeeded Carlos Mendoza but have played notably better of late, going 23-20 in their past 43 games entering their weekend set against the San Francisco Giants. With a lot of questions to answer before the 2027 campaign, there are a lot of worse scenarios for the Mets than finding a way to finish strong.

There is certainly a sense of professional pride in finding a way to go at least 10-13 over the next 23 games, which would ensure the Mets avoid 90 losses, a mark they haven't reached since going 70-92 in 2017. Finishing strong would also help the Mets' young core establish some momentum heading into 2027, which could set them up for a better year.

Mets must end 2026 on a high note

The Mets should take every opportunity to win a baseball game, as shaking off the malaise that hung over the franchise for a calendar year would be great. Past precedent also demonstrates that teams that finish a lost year strong can have significant success in the following season, with this year's Braves as a perfect example.

The 2026 season was a disaster for Atlanta, which started 0-7 and wound up in fourth place in the National League East with a record of 76-86. The last two months were much more competitive for the Braves, who went 30-24 between August and September and are now poised to win the division this year, when they had a much better run of health.

The Mets should take a page out of their NL East rival's book after seeing how a strong finish to the 2025 season benefited the Braves. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Another notable recent example comes from the Royals, who followed up a 106-loss campaign in 2023 with a 30-win improvement in 2024 to snag an American League Wild Card spot. Although they did make some notable additions in that offseason, the Royals did go 15-12 over their final 27 games of 2023 to hint at a potential turnaround.

President of Baseball Operations David Stearns is expected to be active this offseason to try to fill some of the Mets' holes to make up ground in a competitive National League. Seeing this group continue to demonstrate good habits, especially during a stretch run loaded with playoff contenders, is a big positive as the Mets are showing they may be poised to have a down year before rebounding into a postseason contender.

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