Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
FLUSHING, NY — The way it was planned for the Mets and constructed when the roster was assembled for 2026? Consistent at-bats, the home run ball with run production and strong starting pitching.
Of course the script and expectations of this Mets team have never come to fruition, give or take injuries to major players in the lineup and several bad breaks. That has described a Mets season and team playing out the string with an expected roster overhaul prior to MLB’s August 3rd Trade Deadline next Monday.
Interim manager Andy Green said the deadline “is not an easy thing to navigate.” He and the baseball world expect Mets’ president of baseball operations David Stearns to unload contracts and in return, restock their farm with prospects in the retooling process.
With the Mets’ 2026 plans changing throughout the first four-plus months of the season, David Stearns and team’s front office are now looking at selling off pieces of the team’s roster ahead of MLB’s Trade Deadline – Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports
With hefty contracts and length, don’t expect LatinoMVP superstars Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto to be moved, logic says so. Expendable are others with the exceptions of rookies Carson Benge, AJ Ewing, Nolan McLean, and Christian Scott. Green has seen this trade deadline adventure play out in the past when he managed the Padres (2016-2019), so not being easy to navigate is easy to understand.
The Braves, with 2023 NL LatinoMVP Ronald Acuña Jr. returning from the IL Monday, and other teams, are waiting for the trade deadline’s conclusion as well.
A positive sign for Atlanta despite Monday’s loss in Queens was having 2023 NL LatinoMVP Ronald Acuña Jr. back in the lineup after a left hamstring strain kept him on the IL for nearly two months – Image Credit: Simon Lindenblatt/Latino Sports
Atlanta’s designated hitter Dominic Smith, a former Met with a one-year contract said, “you block (out) the talk and continue to do your best on the field.”
Perhaps the Mets had that attitude Monday night at Citi Field.
Continuing to play out the string in late July, the Mets, winning 14-3 over the NL East division leading Braves with a season-tying 19 hits, were supposed to go with this plan in April, May. June, and July.
A day after Carlos Beltrán celebrated his special HOF induction day up in Cooperstown, Francisco Lindor put on a show Monday night in the Mets’ win and tied Beltrán for the seventh most HRs in franchise history – Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports
Another Mets untouchable is rookie left-hander Zac Thornton, controlling the strike zone, and continuing to impress (6.1P, 6 H, 3 ER, 5 Ks) as the organization goes forward with a future in their rotation. Tyrone Taylor who was not in the plan besides coming off the bench and with teams in pursuit at the deadline had them continue their watch—hitting his sixth home run in the last 35 at-bats.
Though the star of the night was Lindor with two home runs, a triple, and six RBI—tying Hall of Famer and fellow Puerto Rican Carlos Beltrán for seventh most homers (149) in franchise history.
Marcus Semien also had good at-bats, finishing 3-for-4 with a two-run HR (12) off Braves reliever Connor Thomas who was tagged with 11 earned runs—the most an MLB pitcher has allowed in a decade.
Semien, with a hefty contract (2027 & 2028 for a total of $46 million), is coming around after two consecutive games with a home run.
Basically this was the Mets’ plan all along, but as the season went down the drain, the franchise is now looking ahead to a significant trade deadline for the future that will not include buying for a potential postseason run. A Mets clubhouse was rocked with enthusiasm knowing the roster will be vastly different in a week and as Soto’s left calf strain keeps him on the shelf.
The Mets received unfortunate news during this past weekend’s series vs. the Dodgers as Juan Soto was placed on the Injured List due to a left calf strain – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
And optimistic about the future, Ewing is a prospect and quickly developing with a daily role in the leadoff spot. He went 3-for-5 in Monday’s win with a first inning single and came around to score the first of his two runs.
“If you look around, the guys are having quite the at-bats,” Lindor said. “We’re all learning from each other, we’re learning from each other’s at-bats and feeding off each other.”
Green said it was a matter of time Lindor would get his bat going. Health was always a factor, he missed most of the first half (51 games missed before the ASG break) and took care of business despite this win meaning more about pride and going with a plan for the future in this dismal season.
“He’s just one of the best players in baseball, and it’s a matter of time before the best players get hot,” noted Green.
But the consensus is a roster of Mets that will move on to other teams in the next week. The speculation grows and it is more than expected. The question is who? That though has not deterred this team in the meantime from getting on the field and winning ballgames.
Except a win against the Braves to open a three-game series in late July was supposed to have more significance in the standings.
Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and columnist at LatinoSports.com with coverage of MLB, boxing, and MLS – X:@Ring786, Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
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