5 things NY Mets fans will be saying after the opening series vs. the Pirates

After months of overanalyzing the roster, shuffling lineups, and debating every move or lack of one, Opening Weekend is finally here. That also means it is time for the annual tradition of fast opinions and even faster overreactions. The New York Mets do not need a full month to get people talking. A few innings against Pittsburgh will do the job just fine. That is what makes a season-opening series so much fun. Before the first hot take starts doing laps, here are five things Mets fans are likely to be saying once this opening set with the Pirates is in the books.

Mets fans will be saying these 5 things after the Pirates series

Freddy Peralta and Nolan McLean are a great 1-2 punch

David Stearns wanted a true top-of-the-rotation arm to pair with Nolan McLean, and trading for Freddy Peralta made that plan clear. After watching them take the mound for Games 1 and 3, Monday morning Mets fans will be saying he nailed it. Peralta brings the steady veteran presence, McLean brings the electric stuff, and together it just looks right. It is the kind of pairing that settles a series and gives the rotation a real identity. The orange-and-blue faithful will be ready to ride with these two all summer.

The bullpen is going to need help

Edwin Diaz walking away left a real hole at the back end, and it shows right away. Devin Williams and Luke Weaver both had strong springs, combining to allow just two earned runs over 9.1 innings, but that does not exactly erase the unease from last season. Once you get past them, the questions only get louder. Luis Garcia, Huascar Brazoban, Richard Lovelady, and even the piggyback use of Sean Manaea do not exactly build much trust. After this series, Mets fans will be saying the same thing they said last year. This bullpen needs help, and it needs it soon.

This lineup is different if Francisco Alvarez stays healthy

Francisco Alvarez has already shown what he can do when he is right, and this weekend will feel like a reminder of that. Injuries and a change in swing mechanics threw him off last year, limiting him to 76 games and taking him out of rhythm. This spring has looked different. He is healthy, locked in, and it shows with a .360/.414/.600 line, 4 extra-base hits, 5 RBIs, and 4 runs in 25 at-bats. After this series, Mets fans will be saying it again. If Alvarez stays on the field, this lineup gets a lot longer in a hurry.

Francisco Lindor needs more time to get going

Francisco Lindor is coming off hamate bone surgery, and it looks like a player still finding his timing. Missing most of spring did not help, as he only logged 19 at-bats and never really settled in, finishing with a .158/.200/.358 line. He has built a track record of slow starts, so this is nothing new, but this time, there is a little more behind it. After this series, Mets fans will not be panicking, but they will be saying the same thing. Lindor just needs time to get going and work through it.

This team can hit with runners in scoring position

The Mets were solid with runners in scoring position last year, hitting .260 as a team, but this lineup has a chance to take that up a level. In 2025, Bo Bichette hit .381 with RISP, Jorge Polanco hit .337, and Marcus Semien hit .265, giving this lineup multiple bats that come through in those spots. Factor in Juan Soto and the upside from Brett Baty, Francisco Alvarez, and a bat like Carson Benge, and it starts to feel different. After this series, Mets fans will be saying it. This team is going to cash in when it matters.