A common NY Mets mistake appears to be one they can’t make again

Knowing when to walk away is important in your career, relationships, and MLB free agency. The New York Mets made one of the same mistakes in each of the last two seasons. Luckily, there really isn’t much of a way to make it again.

After the 2023 season, the Mets ended up re-signing Adam Ottavino. Fantastic in 2022, a bit deceptive in 2023 but okay, and unusable by the end of 2024. The Mets didn’t know when to let him go. He painstakingly made it through the entire 2024 regular season, too.

They repeated the process last year. Ryne Stanek was re-signed for about the same amount of money in a similar role. Even worse than Ottavino by the end of 2025 but a survivor through the end of the year with the organization, it was a mistake on rewind. Is there someone they could do this with all over again?

If there is someone the Mets could repeat this mistake with again, it’s probably Starling Marte

The Mets bought into what Ottavino achieved in 2023 and accepted Stanek’s strong performance in the 2024 postseason. The warning signs were ignored. Both players were coming up small too often.

What does this have to do with Starling Marte? There isn’t really a relief pitcher left who fits the Ottavino/Stanek rhythm. Marte kind of does in his own way. He had a better than expected 2025 season. He was about the same versus righties and lefties. He raised all of his slash line numbers ever-so-slightly. By the end of the season, he gave us a reason to tip our caps his way.

The Mets should be smart enough to understand that might’ve been the last run in him. Once again playing fewer than 100 games, mostly due to choice and not injuries, he’s a DH with little power, decreasing speed, and no upside whatsoever.

Would the Mets actually re-sign him? Back in December, there were rumors about the Mets and Marte having mutual interest. Juan Soto declared his desire for the Mets to reunite even earlier, stating so in November.

This was before Jorge Polanco who is itching to be their switch hitting first baseman/DH. Marte, on the same roster as Mark Vientos, doesn't work. What if the Mets trade Vientos? Can he, on a cheap one-year contract, be of any benefit to the Mets?

Marte’s leadership was one of the key reasons why he was more useful for the 2025 Mets than any number will say. However, in an offseason of major turnover, revisiting a declining veteran shouldn’t be in the cards if the leading reason is he’s friends with your star player.

Many of us were surprised Marte played as well as he did in 2025 and made it through until the end. Sign him again, you’re asking for what will more likely be a future mid-year roster casualty. No hint that this is something they’d do since early December, we can cross our fingers this is one of those mistakes the Mets won’t, probably because they can’t, repeat for a third time.