Predicting the 2026 Mets’ Opening Day Roster 1.0
Pitchers and catchers report to Port St. Lucie 15 days from Tuesday (February 11). The team’s first full workout is on February 16, and they’ll play their first Grapefruit League game on February 21. Just a month later, they’ll host the Pirates for Opening Day at Citi Field.
However, the 2026 Mets will look much differently than the 2025 team did. Gone are homegrown players like Pete Alonso (Baltimore), Jeff McNeil (Athletics) and Brandon Nimmo (Texas), and reigning NL Reliever of the Year Edwin Díaz (Los Angeles Dodgers). Gone are even top prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat, two names who figured to be big-time contributors to the 2026 team.
Instead, in are players like ace Freddy Peralta, infielders Bo Bichette, Jorge Polanco and Marcus Semien, along with outfielder Luis Robert Jr. The team made moves to boost their bullpen, adding the likes of closer Devin Williams, along with bullpen arms Luke Weaver, swingman Tobias Myers, Luis Garcia and nine-time All-Star Craig Kimbrel (on a minor league deal with an invite to spring training).
There’s a lot to like about the Mets’ roster heading into the 2026 season. So much so, it’s time for an early look into what their 26-man roster might look like come Opening Day.
Of course, there’s about two months between now and March. Players can surprise (or, unfortunately, disappoint), they can get injured, or David Stearns might even work another trade into the mix to continue his roster shakeup before the 2026 campaign.
But with the roster now, let’s dive in to see who might take the field at Citi Field on March 26 against the Pirates (and almost certainly reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes).
Carson Benge. Photo by Rick Nelson
Lineup
- Francisco Lindor, SS
- Juan Soto, RF
- Bo Bichette, 3B
- Jorge Polanco, 1B
- Brett Baty, DH
- Francisco Alvarez, C
- Marcus Semien, 2B
- Carson Benge, LF
- Luis Robert Jr., CF
Well, this is a very different lineup the Mets will put out. The longest tenured Mets in the starting nine? Francisco Lindor. (David Peterson still is the longest tenured Met since his debut in 2020.) We’re predicting Benge cracks the Opening Day roster like Alonso did in 2019 and is here to stay for the long haul, while Brett Baty gets the biggest “promotion” regarding the Mets’ roster shakeup. He takes over Jeff McNeil’s former utility role, and will see time at third, second, first and possibly left field as well.
Bench
10. Mark Vientos, INF
11. Luis Torrens, C
12. Tyrone Taylor, OF
13. Ronny Mauricio, INF
A question mark looms for the Mets regarding their bench heading into spring training. Luis Torrens and Tyrone Taylor are locks, as is Mark Vientos (who likely saw his playing time get cut with each addition the Mets made this offseason). However, Vientos can platoon with Baty against southpaws (Vientos is a career .258 hitter against lefties while Baty holds a .200 mark).
Ronny Mauricio feels like the guy who could go either way among the position players. He has one minor league option remaining, which means he can see his season start in Triple-A Syracuse if the Mets want to start 2026 with someone like utility player Vidal Bruján on their bench instead. Mauricio could also be traded, following Luisangel Acuña (Chicago White Sox), as the Mets close in on their new core.
Starting Rotation
14. Freddy Peralta, RHP
15. Nolan McLean, RHP
16. David Peterson, LHP
17. Clay Holmes, RHP
18. Kodai Senga, RHP
19. Sean Manaea, LHP
I begged the Mets to go with a six-man rotation in 2025. 2026 is the year they do it. With stability at the top of the rotation in Peralta (30+ starts in his last three seasons) and McLean (2.06 ERA in 48 IP in 2025), a six-man rotation will put less pressure on the rest of the staff. Plus, Tobias Myers, who came in the haul from Milwaukee with Peralta, can step into the rotation if needed at any given time (3.00 ERA in 25 starts and two relief appearances in 2024).
Plus, players like Peterson and Holmes are coming off career-highs in innings thrown in 2025—a six-man rotation gives them room to breathe, while allowing McLean to continue his transition into a big league starter.
Jonah Tong and Christian Scott (when healthy) remain as the next men up in Triple-A.
Bullpen
20. Devin Williams, RHP
21. Luke Weaver, RHP
22. Luis García, RHP
23. Tobias Myers, RHP
24. Brooks Raley, LHP
25. Huascar Brazobán, RHP
26. Craig Kimbrel, RHP
One lefty entering the year is a tough pill to swallow, but A.J. Minter will return sometime in April to bolster the bullpen. Kimbrel appeared in only 14 games in 2025 with Houston and Atlanta (2.25 ERA, 12 IP, 17 SO, 7 BB), so he might find a similar short stint with the Mets when Minter returns. Myers is the only man with options in this roster iteration, and could find himself back in Triple-A when Minter returns if the Mets need a roster spot.
While the 2025 Mets bullpen posted a 5.6 fWAR, Edwin Díaz was responsible for 2.0 fWAR. In addition, the 5.6 fWAR was split between 39 players. These seven arms above combined for a 4.2 fWAR in 2025.
Final Thoughts
It’s ironic to write final thoughts as January hasn’t even come to a close. Everything above is speculative. What’s not is how different the Mets lineup will look in 2026. This team, regardless of how its 26-man roster looks, will be a better defensive team (one of the front office’s top goals for the offseason) and will have a different type of offense.
Stay tuned for the next roster prediction once spring training starts!
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