Will Different Be Good for the 2026 Mets?

Some change can be good. Sometimes not so much. As it pertains to the New York Mets, we know change will be in large supply in 2026.

Whether all the change will result in a positive or negative year in Queens is simply unknowable right now.

It will certainly look drastically different, that’s for sure. We can take that particular notion to the bank right now.

For starters, it is going to take some getting used to not seeing Edwin Díaz emerge from the bullpen in the ninth inning. I think the first time we don’t hear “Narco” blaring around Citi Field will be when it really hits home that Díaz is no longer a Met.

However, that won’t be the most galling change in 2026. No matter how many memorable moments Díaz gave Mets fans over six largely stellar years.

No, what will really come as a severe jolt to the system will be the absence of the three homegrown Mets. If you think the prospect of no Brandon Nimmo, Pete Alonso, and Jeff McNeil is weird now, think how much stranger it will be once we get to Opening Day.

It is hard to envision a lineup card without those three names in it. After all, Nimmo was a staple in a Mets uniform for a decade. McNeil has been a big part of this organization ever since making his debut in 2018. And Pete Alonso needed just seven years to establish himself as the best power hitter in franchise history. Not to mention taking Darryl Strawberry‘s home run crown.

END OF AN ERA

In many ways, Nimmo, Alonso, and McNeil have been the very heartbeat of the Mets for the best part of a decade.

Nimmo was the longest-tenured Met and absolutely beloved by fans. He personified what it meant to play in Queens, embracing everything that came with playing for the organization. If the Mets were ever going to name a captain, Nimmo would have been the main contender alongside Francisco Lindor.

As much as McNeil frustrated the life out of this fanbase over the last couple of years, the veteran provided plenty of happy memories in Queens. He won a batting title, was named a Silver Slugger, and was always good for a highlight-reel play in the field.

And where do we even begin with Alonso?

Has a player ever won the hearts of an entire community and city like Alonso did with the Mets half of New York? From the moment he put on a Mets uniform, Alonso just got it. He knew what it meant pulling on that jersey every single day. He was proud to play for the fans and for the organization.

The slugger also produced a litany of special moments. Like hitting 53 home runs in his rookie year in 2019. Representing the organization at the Home Run Derby while putting on an absolute clinic. Destroying baseballs with so much ease you couldn’t help but be impressed no matter how many times it happened. And do we even have to mention THAT moment against the Brewers?

WHAT NOW?

Alonso, Nimmo, and McNeil, meant a lot to Mets fans because of what they were able to do on the baseball diamond. But, more importantly, they meant the world to Mets fans because they were drafted, nurtured, and developed right here in Queens.

Homegrown players just resonate more with fans.

Therefore, you can be forgiven for still feeling a little melancholy about the fact that a true end of an era has now come to a close in Queens.

Of course, there will be plenty of fans happy that the core has been blown up. A common refrain over the last few years has been that something needed to change with the core group given the relative lack of success.

That school of thought only grew in intensity in the wake of the embarrassing collapse down the stretch in 2025, resulting in the Juan Soto-led Mets missing the playoffs. When a set of players perform that badly, it would be franchise malfeasance for significant changes not to be made.

President of baseball operations David Stearns wasn’t hired to make sentimental decisions. He was hired to bring a World Series to Queens. Therefore, he can’t be blamed for making the tough decisions. Of course, it is easy to judge him for blowing up the core right now. There’s so much work still to be done, and as of right now, it is hard to envision the 2026 Mets being better than the 2025 Mets.

A DIFFERENT DAWN

It is also difficult to imagine what the identity of this team will be moving forward. As already mentioned, Nimmo, Alonso, and McNeil weren’t just good ballplayers; they were the soul of this team. That’s an intangible that is a lot harder to replace than just WAR. Furthermore, given Stearns’ risk-averse approach to this offseason, it seems unlikely that a Kyle Tucker or a Cody Bellinger will end up in Queens.

Of course, it is important to see how the full picture unfolds before making any real judgments. Stearns clearly has a plan, and it is possible that he has one or two big moves up his sleeve. It is entirely feasible that the departures of the homegrown trio lead to bigger and better things.

After all, change can be good sometimes. Whether that will be the case with the 2026 New York Mets very much remains to be seen.

But change will certainly look different. And that’s something we will all have to get used to over the coming weeks and months.

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