Predicting what the future holds for every NY Mets player currently on the IL

For as poorly as things have gone for the New York Mets this year, they aren’t ending the season with a whole lot of injured guys. The IL isn’t too crowded with a couple of players already known to be M.I.A. for the full 2026 season.

They didn’t lose anyone new for the future as everyone currently on the IL for the Mets is expected to have a recovery timeline that’ll have them on the field in 2027. Each of them does have a few questions, though. Rostering them at all and their roles are ones to inquire about.

What does the future hold for each of them? Let’s predict.

Every Mets player currently on the IL and what the team will do with them

Daniel Duarte - 2027 Opening Day roster

Daniel Duarte was one of the few exceptions to the 2026 rules. A minor league free agent signing who pitched to a 2.12 ERA, Duarte had his final minor league option used this year early on in the season while trekking back and forth from the majors to the minors. Such a good performance warrants a job next year barring some kind of lengthier injury or a major blow-up in whatever sort of preseason we get.

Robert Stock - non-tendered, gone

Robert Stock was supposed to start on Wednesday for the Mets. Instead, he heads to the IL with a 5.93 ERA. Promising at times and hittable in other moments, Stock verified what we already figured: he can get the job done in small doses and is probably best as a longman or opener. He’ll turn 37 in November and a future in a major league front office is what could be next for him if he decides to hang up his cleats.

Tylor Megill - a lengthy rehab assignment followed by a long reliever role

The Mets decided to tender a deal to Tylor Megill despite knowing he’d be out for all of 2026. Unless there’s something we don’t know about his injury progress, it makes sense to hold onto him. The debate about whether he should be a starter or reliever finally ends. He ends up in the Mets bullpen. Whether it’s successful or not is anyone’s guess

Reed Garrett - non-tendered and re-signed to a split contract

Reed Garrett was another Mets player who got paid to sit on the sidelines this year. The Mets can’t possibly keep all of these bodies around. They showed us, after doing this same strategy with Drew Smith, they are willing to eat the money for a year and release a player. Garrett was good at times with the Mets but only a 3.77 ERA in 2024 and 3.90 ERA in 2025. He’ll be 34 in January. The Mets may be better off searching for someone else, particularly a player with more minor league options and upside.

Jorge Polanco - a lesser role than the Mets had planned in 2026, but a somewhat rewarding one

Jorge Polanco can absolutely redeem himself with the Mets next year. However, it should probably come in a lesser role. Don’t expect him to fill the DH or first base role fully. There’s little debate about his presence as his contract is impossible to move for anything short of taking on a worse deal.

Cionel Perez - non-tendered, signs somewhere else

Cionel Perez was pretty good for the Mets this year with a 4.21 ERA, impressive walk rate and a whole lot of strikeouts. The Mets should try to re-sign him, but with so few 40-man roster spots possibly available, a 30-year-old journeyman lefty isn’t a priority especially when you probably need a far better southpaw in your bullpen to pair alongside Nate Lavender.

Devin Williams - back to the closer role

Kodai Senga has teased the chance of a new Mets closer in town. However, it’ll be Devin Williams re-inserted into the spot. Like he did with the New York Yankees in 2025, Williams gave up way too many runs while filling his Baseball Savant page with red. The Mets will give him his job back and look to safeguard themselves with a Luke Weaver replacement.

Add us as a preferred source on Google