Mets Monday Morning GM: Could the team be even worse in 2025?

How bad the New York Mets are this season is subjective beyond just record. Some might say the talent level is superior to what they’ve done in the standings. Others would argue there was some smoke and mirrors at work early on.

Whatever you believe, the Mets are fighting a losing battle and might be even worse in 2025?

The Mets have big problems if their core veterans continue to struggle this much

We’ll see some big changes with the Mets roster between now and next season. Next season. Two words combined together we hate to discuss in May. But that’s the situation we’re in. On Memorial Day, the first major checkpoint of the MLB season, the Mets don’t look like a team with rotten luck. Only the rotten part is applicable.

There’s no one player or group of players to blame. Some guys have done exceptionally at times, but they’re all taking turns being the reason for the team to lose. Over a 162-game schedule it’s only natural for the players to draw the short straw and be the one responsible.

Thoughts of the Mets outspending their problems for next year’s roster and that the 2025 campaign would be “their year” need to be tamed. The free agent class isn’t shaping up to be an exceptional one. Pete Alonso is hardly the lone free agent struggling. Alex Bregman has problems of his own. Scott Boras clients who agreed to deals with opt outs like Cody Bellinger and Matt Chapman will once again help headline the class of hitters the Mets will have to choose from.

The original plan for 2025 has hit a snag

Unfortunately, another part of the Mets’ plan for 2025 hasn’t worked out to perfection. Luisangel Acuna has started off slowly in Triple-A and looks far from being a solution to what ails them. Drew Gilbert has missed most of the year. Jett Williams isn’t going to speed his way to the majors either. The kids are coming but with Christian Scott being the only one called up to get his feet wet thus far, it might require a full 2025 season just for any of them to get their jitters out of the way.

Still no sure answer at third base with Brett Baty, Mark Vientos has at least provided the club with an offensive spark. However, the delayed growth of Francisco Alvarez due to injury will once again delay his progression into becoming the superstar catcher we all believed he would be.

For the 2024 season to be productive without the Mets winning a bunch of games, they needed more than good trade pieces. And frankly, many of their best chips to deal are not going to be ones teams will overpay for. It’s about Stearns and the rest of the front office making the correct choices in who they receive back rather than getting to choose between multiple sweetheart offers from guys like Luis Severino.

The Mets will come out of the 2024 season undoubtedly better equipped for the future. But the future is getting kicked down the road another year. Stearns will have a lot of additions to make in the offseason in pitching staff alone.

Brace yourselves. The reset button hit at the 2023 trade deadline will take a little longer to reboot.