The Mets have made many moves over the last three seasons, some good, some bad, some too early to tell, and everything in-between.
This article will go over the moves that were more bad than good. For the most positive moves, check out this article.
Jorge Polanco by Berto Carlo
Bad When Here but Hurt too Much
Sean Manaea (2025)
Sean Manaea had a great stretch in 2026 where he pitched 82.2 innings to a 3.48 ERA and 1.23 WHIP. Since mid August, he seemed to be running out of gas. It is hard to say what we can expect from him in 2027 in the final year of his contract. There’s time to turn it around. But between his injuries and struggles in 2025, his rough beginning and end to 2026 this feels right.
Jorge Polanco
Jorge Polanco got injured almost immediately and it has been a weird season. The results could not get much worse and the news around his injury was weird. The Mets repeatedly stated that the recommendations from doctors was to not get surgery, and in the end he got surgery so late in the season that it seems unlikely that he will be ready for the start of 2027. He could always have a good year in 2027, so there are arguments this could be a “too soon to tell” but things do not look bright right now.
Frankie Montas
Frankie Montas got hurt in spring training, returned, started well, seemed to pitch hurt, and then got Tommy John surgery. His stretch in July where he put up a 3.86 ERA seemed like he was turning things around but he quickly fell off and then his season ended. That small stretch gave us a glimpse of what the Mets saw when they signed him but injuries derailed his Mets tenure.
Paul Blackburn
Paul Blackburn started well with 3.68 ERA his first four starts. In his fifth, he left with an injury and that turned out to be a major spine issue where he was leaking fluid and needed surgery. He struggled when he returned in 2025 and was eventually cut. The Mets did not give up much for him and he did help get them some wins in 2024 where every win counted.
Jose Siri
Jose Siri was signed to be a plus defensive center fielder with a similar offensive output to Harrison Bader but with more pop and less OBP. Instead he had a major injury at the start of the season and struggled when he got back. The Mets gave up someone they were likely not keeping on the 40-man roster so it is what it is.
Did You Remember He Was Here?
Gregory Soto
With a 4.50 ERA across 24 innings to be the second lefty in the bullpen, Gregory Soto did not do enough to really help to harm the trajectory of the Mets 2025 season. They did not give up much of value for him either. He got four holds and did not blow any saves.
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Bad But the Alternative Could’ve Been Worse
Marcus Semien
It is hard to say how much playing through a hip injury impacted Marcus Semien‘s 2026 season but since coming off the injured list he has been roughly a 90 WRC+ hitter and a positive defender at second base. Maybe he can be that in 2027, maybe he will be cut by Memorial Day. Part of putting Semien here is assuming that he can be easily cut if he struggles next year, unlike Brandon Nimmo who was a homegrown “star” and would have likely been much harder to cut. Nimmo has also struggled with plantar fasciitis in both feet, back issues, neck issues, and a shoulder tear. Defensively, Nimmo has been nearly unplayable as one of the worst defensive outfielders in the majors, is putting up one of the worst offensive seasons of his career, and did not even amass a league average 2.0 bWAR or fWAR.
As bad as Semien has been, the Mets would have been locked into playing Nimmo most days for the next four years past this and we would not have had to space for Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing, especially since Nimmo has not been shy to voice his displeasure about the idea of playing as a designated hitter. Marcus Semien was unfortunately the best we could have got back to move one of the worst contracts in baseball in Nimmo, but it had to be done since Nimmo would likely be completely un-tradable after his 2026 season.
Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Just Plain Bad
Freddy Peralta
Freddy Peralta started hard with a 3.63 ERA by the end of his June 3 start, but he fell apart after that, helping to really sink the Mets 2026 season. The Mets were able to get a haul back for him in the trade which included both Émilien Pitre and Gary Gill Hill, two players who look like they could be big parts of the Mets 2027 season. Brandon Sproat has struggled with the Brewers and Jett Williams has looked even worse in Triple-A.
Ryan Helsley
Ryan Helsley had a problem with tipping pitches and unfortunately when he came onto the mound on a bigger stage with more eyes on him teams realized that. It is just bad luck that issue was realized when he joined the Mets. His last two weeks after he finally addressed the issue were better but it was far too little too late.
Cedric Mullins
The Mets had some of the worst production out of center field when they traded for Cedric Mullins with a 70 WRC+. Seems like a low bar to beat but Mullins managed to fall below that with a 65 WRC+ with the Mets. The Mets also gave up Anthony Nunez for him and while Nunez has not been amazing, he is the type of up and down reliever any team could use.
Jake Diekman
Maybe putting Jake Diekman here is unfair because that 5.63 ERA was elevated by a handful of appearances not long before he got cut in the late summer. His season was really a tale of two halves with a 3.38 ERA his first 18.2 innings pitched when being used mostly in low leverage spots and an 8.78 ERA in the 13.1 innings after when he was used in higher leverage due to bullpen injuries. His one highlight was striking out Aaron Judge.
Ryne Stanek (2025)
For all of his good will in 2024, Ryne Stanek was terrible in 2025. Every time it seemed like he would be cut someone either got hurt or he looked to be turning things around but in the end it was just a terrible season.
Joey Wendle
Joey Wendle was signed to be a good utility player who provided plus defense and serviceable offense but he did not provide either and was quickly cut for Jose Iglesias.
Adrian Houser
Putting Adrian Houser here also may be unfair because he was good as a reliever pitching 35.2 innings to a 3.28 ERA but he was signed to be a starter and he struggled there. He may have been pitching through an undiagnosed injury as he has had on and off forearm issues the last few years but either way he was not what the Mets traded for.
Honorable Mention: Churn Time
When you churn there will also be moves preform well like Andy Ibanez, Zach Short, Michael Tonkin, Cole Sulser, Alex Carrillo, and more.
The post Reviewing the Negative Player Acquisitions Moves David Stearns Has Made appeared first on Metsmerized.
