5 most common NY Mets offseason predictions we believe will happen

Every New York Mets fan with a Wi-Fi connection has their offseason prophecy. Some dream in Shohei-scale fantasies; others just hope the bullpen stops giving them heartburn. Over at Rising Apple, six of us threw our predictions into the digital cauldron — trades, signings, and a few bold guesses about how this winter might unfold. After sifting through the chaos, certain patterns kept showing up like familiar faces at Citi Field. These are the five common Mets offseason predictions that don’t just sound realistic; they feel inevitable, the kind that make you say, “Yeah, that actually tracks.”

Five Mets offseason predictions that feel destined to become reality.

Pete Alonso and Edwin Díaz: Staying in Queens

It’s hard to picture a Mets future without the thunder of Pete Alonso’s bat and the blare of Edwin Díaz’s trumpets. Both have spent seven years in Queens, and both have carved their names into Mets lore in very different ways — Alonso with record-breaking home runs, Díaz with closing notes that send Citi Field into a chorus. The Rising Apple consensus? They’re staying. Alonso’s power and Díaz’s swagger are as much a part of the New York Mets identity as blue and orange themselves. When the trumpets play, you already know — he’ll “put it in the books”.

Freddy Peralta: The ace trade that makes sense

Of the six Rising Apple writers who made their offseason calls, most predicted the Mets would trade for Freddy Peralta — not Tarik Skubal — to anchor their rotation. It’s the smarter, more attainable play. Peralta, 29, is fresh off a 2.70 ERA season, holding opponents to a .193 average with a 28.2% strikeout rate across 176.2 innings. He’s topped 165 innings and 200 strikeouts three straight years, and his $8 million salary for 2026 is a bargain. A reunion with David Stearns gives the Mets a front-line arm without mortgaging the farm — exactly the kind of precision move this front office craves.

Tyler Rogers: A bullpen fit too good to pass up

Several Rising Apple writers found common ground on one bullpen move, keeping Tyler Rogers in orange and blue. After joining the Mets at the trade deadline, the sidewinder delivered a 2.30 ERA across 27.1 innings and reminded everyone why he’s been one of the game’s steadiest relievers. Rogers has logged 70-plus innings in five straight seasons, three of them with ERAs under 3.00, including a career-best 1.98 in 2025. With his hard-hit rate consistently among MLB’s elite, he checks every box for a bullpen the Mets hope can finally shut the door.

Jeff McNeil: The writing on the wall

If there was one prediction that felt more bittersweet than bold, it was Jeff McNeil’s name showing up on the trade block. Several Rising Apple writers pegged him as the odd man out, and it’s tough to argue. The gritty .300-hitting version of McNeil seems like a relic from 2022. Since then, the averages have tumbled to .270, .238, and .243, with a modest .335 OBP this year. At $15 million for 2026, that’s a steep tab for declining production. With a wave of infield talent on the rise, the math — and the momentum — both point to a McNeil exit.

AJ Ewing: The prospect other teams will want

One name that popped up often in our Rising Apple predictions wasn’t a big leaguer at all — it was AJ Ewing, the Mets’ No. 7 prospect. Not because he’s fallen off, but because his talent makes him one of the most movable pieces in the system. Across three levels in 2025, Ewing hit .315/.401/.830 with 39 extra-base hits, 87 runs, and 70 steals in 124 games. The issue isn’t performance — it’s opportunity. With Jett Williams, Carson Benge, and Jacob Reimer ahead of him, Ewing could headline the kind of trade that brings real major league talent back to Queens.