5 burning questions for the NY Mets we'd like answered before January is over

January is moving along, and there are still a few things about this roster that don’t add up. Several moves helped, but there are still spots on this roster without real answers. That works in December. It works a lot less now. For the New York Mets, pitchers and catchers report on February 12, and that date turns “we’ll see” into “what’s the plan.” Spring training is not the place for mystery. It is for preparation, clarity, and defined roles. The Mets do not need perfection by February. They do need answers, and they need them soon.

The Mets have 5 questions that need to be answered before January ends

1) Is a veteran presence needed for left field?

Trading Brandon Nimmo opened the door for an upgrade, and the offseason wasted no time filling that void with noise. That noise has settled now. Cody Bellinger is off the board after landing with the New York Yankees, and Kyle Tucker is now with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Mets filled center field by trading for Luis Robert Jr., which leaves left field as the remaining question.

That question now is whether the Mets are comfortable rolling straight into the season with Carson Benge in left field, or if a veteran outfielder is still needed for protection. Benge may be the answer, but depth matters. A player in the mold of Austin Hays would give the Mets a fallback if things don’t click right away. Benge might be the answer, but the Mets still need to decide if they want a backup plan behind him.

2) What are the plans for the backend of the rotation?

Trading for Freddy Peralta answered the front-line starter question, but it immediately created another one. The Mets now have more rotation arms than open spots, which means decisions are coming. Someone is either sliding to a different role or getting squeezed out altogether.

The top two spots are locked in, with Clay Holmes and Sean Manaea next in line. After that, it turns into musical chairs. David Stearns has publicly said Kodai Senga is expected to be in the rotation, which sounds like an endorsement, even if Stearns has played this rope-a-dope before. At the same time, David Peterson has drawn trade interest. When the music stops, not everyone will have a seat, and the Mets need to know who that is.

3) What's the backup plan for first base?

Letting Pete Alonso walk reshaped more than the middle of the lineup. It led the Mets to sign Jorge Polanco to rotate between first base and DH, which sounds fine until you realize he has played exactly one inning at first base. That’s some Moonlight Graham energy. Last I checked, the Mets aren’t playing in a Field of Dreams game this season.

Polanco learning a new position is not the issue. The problem is the lack of a safety net. When he DHs, someone still has to play first. Mark Vientos and Brett Baty are it. Vientos has dabbled there. It would be a whole new adventure for Baty in the majors. He's already a candidate for left field playing time.

4) How is the rest of the bullpen filling out?

It was a gut punch when the Dodgers swooped in and stole Edwin Díaz, a move Mets fans felt immediately. The back end has since been reworked with Devin Williams and Luke Weaver, which at least gives the Mets a clearer finish to games. What’s still murky is everything that comes before that final stretch.

There are still real choices to make, even if the shopping appears done. Signing Luis García may close the door on adding more bullpen arms, shifting the focus inward. Now it’s about who wins the final spots. Does a high-octane arm like Dylan Ross force the issue, or do the Mets lean on depth options? Those final bullpen spots still need clear answers.

5) What's the direction of the DH spot?

The Mets now have an infield full of everyday players with defined roles. A rotation of Polanco, Brett Baty, and Mark Vientos is one path then can use. However, if Polanco logs real time at first base, are the Mets comfortable trusting a bounce-back season from Vientos as the right-handed DH option, or is a veteran still part of the plan?