There’s perfect and then there’s everything the 2026 New York Mets are. Nobody goes 162-0 and every front office executive has those particular moves they’ll never live down. Even when they do things we all love, like signing Juan Soto, it’s someone else who gets the credit. In this case, Steve Cohen.
Rubbing sand in David Stearns’ wound has been a constant this season by both Mets fans and those ready for the club to fail. Against the odds, they’re actually playing much better baseball even if it includes limping in just about every series.
No one is debating that Stearns deserves blame for a lot of what has gone wrong with the Mets this year. However, when it comes to decisions that have gone well, we need to tip our caps at these five moves that have quietly worked to perfection.
We couldn't ask for much more out of these five moves
1) Signing Luke Weaver
You wouldn’t know it if you haven’t watched the Mets but they have a really good bullpen this year. One of their biggest signings, Luke Weaver, has worked to perfection. His ERA is down to 2.48 on the year. He hasn’t given up a run, earned or not, since April 30th when he blew the game versus the Washington Nationals and took the loss. Not always flashy when he gets the job done. Weaver has been the ideal high-leverage guy this team needed.
2) Putting Carson Benge on the Opening Day roster and sticking with him
Carson Benge wasn’t always the locked in leadoff hitter for the Mets he has become. He went into a game on April 23rd batting .136. Now at .268 after his 5 for 5 day on Sunday, he’s regularly stirring the drink and becoming one of the club’s bigger contributors. Benge is a story of buying into a young kid’s spring training, sticking with him through some early rough times, and trusting what the scouts have told you or going completely against it if anyone was advising against a promotion.
3) Wasting little time promoting Christian Scott
Christian Scott made his 2026 debut for the Mets on the same day when Benge’s season was reaching a low, April 23rd. This was a turning point for the Mets season, apparently. Even though Scott couldn’t find the strike zone and he was hooked early, the team stuck with him. He has grown into one of their more trustworthy starters with one run allowed over his last three outings. Choosing him over others, doing it quickly, and allowing him more chances is working out well. He’s now 2-0 with a 2.50 ERA and looking like the big leaguer we were promised in 2024.
4) Signing Jared Young, sticking with him, and having faith
The Mets played the long game with Jared Young to benefit from him in 2026. Signed prior to the 2025 campaign, we saw him get into a few games but not do a whole lot. He hit .186 with power. It was probably in Triple-A where he hit .300 with 17 home runs in 321 chances that convinced the Mets that he was worth keeping around and handing an Opening Day roster spot to. At the moment, he’s the team’s best bet at first base. Slashing a productive .291/.375/.509 in the majors this season with 3 home runs, this signing out of the KBO was a quietly successful one we’re all growing to enjoy.
5) The Huascar Brazoban trade
This will remain a one-sided Mets trade with the Miami Marlins. Huascar Brazoban leads the Mets with 28 appearances this year. Regularly used as an opener for the team, doing so again on Sunday, he has a 2.18 ERA and a fabulous .167 batting average against. The next debate with Brazoban will come down to whether or not the Mets shop him at this year’s trade deadline. More perfect performances from him and others can sway the decision into an easy one: keep him around and try to win.
