After a 2024 season that included a playoff run to the National League Championship Series, the New York Mets failed to make the playoffs in 2025. The Mets held the best record in professional baseball in June after the first 69 games of the season, before collapsing during the summer months. Through the rest of the season, the Mets were a disappointing 38-55, posting the fifth-worst record in the MLB during that time period. Mets first baseman Pete Alonso summarized the sentiment of the team and fanbase in an interview with ESPN.
“It’s straight up disappointing … [we have a] super-talented team and the reality is we fell short. I mean, we didn’t even get to October,” he said.
The Mets season began with high expectations, especially considering the previous postseason success and the addition of big-name stars in the offseason. Juan Soto signed an unprecedented $765 million contract to become a Met in December. Both Alonso and pitcher Sean Manaea were both re-signed during the offseason. The first two months of the season looked promising, as the pitching staff shined with the best combined ERA (earned run average) in the MLB.
However, this did not last. The Mets struggled with injuries during the second half of the season, beginning with pitcher Kodai Senga, who strained his hamstring in June. Senga returned from injury with a 5.90 ERA in nine games before being demoted to Minor League play. He never returned to the Mets lineup during the season. Manaea struggled with persistent oblique and elbow injuries. Catcher Francisco Alvarez sustained a sprained ulnar collateral ligament (an injury to his thumb) in April, but decided to play through it for the remainder of the season. In addition to injuries, key pitchers failed to perform in important moments. David Peterson ended the season with a 9.72 ERA in September. Some attribute this poor performance to overwork, as Peterson pitched 168 innings throughout the season. Others criticized manager Carlos Mendoza for improper management of the pitching staff.
In the 2024 offseason, the Mets made a controversial decision to sign pitcher Frankie Montas to a two-year, $34 million contract. A strained lat muscle postponed his first start to June 24. By Aug. 3, he posted an ERA of 6.68 over seven starts. Two weeks later, it was revealed through an MRI that he had torn the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He will likely miss the entire next season due to upcoming Tommy John surgery. Many fans questioned the decision to sign Montas in the previous offseason, considering his lack of production throughout the season.
Finally, the biggest stars on the team failed to perform during the latter half of the season: shortstop Francisco Lindor made an uncharacteristic number of defensive errors, perhaps attributable to a broken toe that he suffered. First baseman Alonso batted consistently but lacked the big-play power necessary to lift the team out of the slump. And Soto struggled to live up to the preseason expectations. Through the last eight games of the season, he had only two extra-base hits. This lackluster performance contributed to the collapse of the team through the final months of the season.
After the conclusion of the season, the Mets announced a variety of coaching changes. On Oct. 3, the team announced that hitting coaches Jeremy Barnes and Eric Chavez and pitching coach Jeremy Hefner would not be returning to the staff, as well as bench coach John Gibbons and third-base coach Mike Sarbaugh. Catching instructor Glenn Sherlock is retiring. However, Mendoza will be returning as manager for the third year of his contract with the Mets.
Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns was quoted by MLB.com discussing the various coaching changes.
“It’s normal after any season to do a coaching staff evaluation … When you come off of a disappointing season like this, it’s certainly going to be a little more intense,” Stearns said.
Despite the disappointing season, Mets fans can find solace in the fact that Lindor and Soto will both return. Pete Alonso opted out of the final year of his contract and will enter free agency.
As teams chase pennants this October, ballparks will be filled with sunshine and cheering crowds. For Mets fans, however, the season ends in disappointment, with their team once again falling short of expectations. Still, hope remains for next year.
