New York Mets News

EAST

Jorge Polanco • 2B • Mets

Jorge Polanco Taking a Seat on Tuesday Against Cardinals

New York Mets infielder Jorge Polanco (Achilles), who is dealing with some minor Achilles soreness, is absent from the team's starting lineup on Tuesday at Busch Stadium against the St. Louis Cardinals, according to MLB.com. With Polanco getting a day off to rest -- he's expected to serve in the DH role until he gets over his injury -- Mark Vientos is the DH and will bat sixth against Cardinals right-hander Andre Pallante. Jared Young is starting at first base for the second straight game and will hit fifth for the Mets. Vientos could be a sneaky DFS play on Tuesday, as he's homered in four career at-bats against Pallante. In his first four games with the Mets, Polanco is off to a slow start, going 3-for-15 (.200) with a double, two runs scored, an RBI, five walks, and two strikeouts in 20 plate appearances. The Dominican switch-hitter will be a lineup regular who can provide underrated pop for fantasy managers when he's healthy, but the problem is that he has a history of lower-body injuries, and the fact that he's already dealing with something in the first week isn't a great sign.

16 hours ago

Devin Williams • RP • Mets

Devin Williams Perfect in First Save of the Season

New York Mets closer Devin Williams retired all three batters he faced while pitching a scoreless ninth inning and earning the save during Monday's win over the St. Louis Cardinals. This was Williams' first save of the season, and he now has two scoreless innings to his name this year. The right-hander has a firm grasp on the closer role in New York, resulting in him being projected for more than 30 saves this season. In addition to averaging more than 13.0 K/9 between 2025 and the start of 2026, Williams gains plenty of fantasy value from racking up saves. He should continue to benefit from pitching high-leverage situations in the later innings for a Mets team that will contend for a playoff spot this year. As it stands, he ranks #8 among relievers in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings.

22 hours ago

Jorge Polanco • 2B • Mets

Jorge Polanco Dealing With Achilles Issue, to DH for Now

New York Mets infielder Jorge Polanco (Achilles) is dealing with a bit of an Achilles issue, manager Carlos Mendoza told Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. The Mets are being cautious with him, but he'll stay in the lineup on Monday and serve as the designated hitter while batting cleanup for the Mets on Monday against the hosting St. Louis Cardinals and right-hander Kyle Leahy. Until Polanco can return to defensive duties at first base, expect Brett Baty and Jared Young to split playing time at the position. Both Young and Baty (starting in right field) are in the starting lineup against the Cardinals in the series opener. The 32-year-old veteran has a history of lower-body injuries, so it's not a great sign for his fantasy managers that he's already dealing with something in the first week of the regular season. Through his three games in 2026 with the Mets, Polanco has gone 1-for-10 with an RBI, two runs, five walks, and two strikeouts.

Yesterday

Bo Bichette • SS • Mets

Bo Bichette Off to a Slow Start in Queens, Hears Boos on Opening Weekend

New York Mets third baseman Bo Bichette didn't take long to hear the boo-birds coming his way during his opening weekend with his new team, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. It wasn't all bad for Bichette in the series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but he did strike out multiple times per game and carries an early 53.3% strikeout rate in 15 plate appearances. Bichette acknowledged that he's feeling the pressure after signing a three-year, $126 million contract with the Mets in the offseason. To begin the 2026 season, he went 1-for-14 with an RBI, run scored, and eight strikeouts. "We can talk about it being early, but I need to figure some things out," Bichette said. "I've done it before. Just different circumstances." Fantasy managers shouldn't be overly concerned just yet, especially since Bichette is also transitioning on defense from the move from shortstop to the hot corner in Queens.

Yesterday

Jonah Tong • SP • Mets

Jonah Tong Tosses Four Shutout Frames in Season Debut

New York Mets right-handed pitching prospect Jonah Tong tossed four shutout frames in his Triple-A debut on Friday. Tong logged four clean innings with just one hit and two free passes. He struck out four. This was a strong debut for Tong, who was in serious competition for a lead role on the MLB roster during spring training. The right-hander made his MLB debut last summer but struggled in his first taste, logging 18 2/3 innings with a hefty 7.71 ERA and a 1.77 WHIP. However, as he progressed through the system, Tong flashed immense upside and quickly established himself as one of the game's top pitching prospects. In 2025, Tong posted a stellar 1.43 ERA and 0.92 WHIP over 113 2/3 innings split between Double-A and Triple-A, with 179 punchouts. The 22-year-old remains a solid stash candidate in deeper 12+ team leagues as he will likely be the first name called when the Mets need additional pitching depth.

Yesterday

Francisco Alvarez • C • Mets

Francisco Alvarez is Resting on Sunday

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez will head to the bench ahead of Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. This appears to be a routine rest day for Alvarez, who has started in both games to begin the season. So far this season, Alvarez is 2-for-6 with one home run, one RBI, and one walk. Luis Torrens will take over behind the plate and bat ninth versus right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski on Sunday. Torrens doesn't offer enough upside to warrant streaming, but Alvarez has mixed league value at the moment.

2 days ago

Carson Benge • CF • Mets

Carson Benge Viewed as Priority Waiver-Wire Target

New York Mets outfield prospect Carson Benge turned in a strong showing in his MLB debut on Thursday and is a top waiver-wire target. In his MLB debut on Thursday afternoon, Benge drew the start in right field and did not disappoint, going 1-for-3 with a home run, a stolen base, and two walks. Benge was in competition for the starting right-field job throughout spring training and ultimately claimed the role. In camp, the former 19th overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft posted a strong .366/.435/.439 line with an .874 OPS. Last summer, Benge spent his time at High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A. He would finish the campaign carrying an overall .281/.385/.472 line with 15 home runs and 22 stolen bases (over 116 games). Given his clear starting role in one of the sport's most potent lineups and five-category skill set, Benge should be added in all formats ahead of Week 2 and be viewed as a starting-caliber outfielder.

3 days ago

Clay Holmes • SP • Mets

Clay Holmes Could Be an Undervalued Source of Innings in 2026

New York Mets right-hander Clay Holmes made the transition from high-leverage reliever to starting pitcher in his first season with the team in 2025. Across 165 2/3 innings (33 appearances, 31 starts), Holmes recorded a 12-8 record with a 3.53 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 129 strikeouts. Holmes' trademark power sinker transferred over to the starting rotation, as he logged a 55.8% ground ball rate. However, the 33-year-old's average fastball velocity dropped from 97.5 mph in 2024 to 93.5 mph in 2025, and he posted a subpar 18.2% strikeout rate. Given how much contact he allows in combination with his middling 9.3% walk rate, Holmes may always be a negative in the WHIP category for fantasy managers. Still, he showed an ability to eat innings in 2025 and owns a career HR/9 of 0.61, which could help him consistently beat his ERA projections. If Holmes can take a marginal step forward with his strikeout rate in 2026, he could be a useful depth arm for fantasy managers.

4 days ago

Carson Benge • CF • Mets

Carson Benge Goes Deep in MLB Debut in Win Over Pirates

New York Mets outfield prospect Carson Benge had a major-league debut to remember on Thursday on Opening Day against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates in an 11-7 victory, going 1-for-3 with a solo home run, two runs scored, two walks, a stolen base, and two strikeouts. Benge's first big-league home run came off reliever Justin Lawrence in the sixth inning. The 23-year-old former 19th overall pick in 2024 out of Oklahoma State kept it going after a strong spring training in which he hit .366 (15-for-41) with an .874 OPS, no home runs, five RBI, five runs scored, and a stolen base in 14 Grapefruit League games. Benge will probably sit frequently against left-handed pitchers in his first full major-league season, which limits his ceiling in redraft fantasy leagues, but there's no denying his power/speed upside in dynasty/keeper leagues. It's a promising start for him for managers who were willing to take a chance on him in mixed leagues.

5 days ago

Mike Tauchman • RF • Mets

Mike Tauchman Undergoes Knee Surgery on Thursday, Expected to Miss Six Weeks

New York Mets outfielder Mike Tauchman (knee) underwent surgery on the meniscus tear in his left knee on Thursday, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Heyman reports that Tauchman is expected to be sidelined for "six weeks before returning to play," so it appears as though Tauchman avoided a full meniscus repair, which would have kept him out for significantly longer. Across 385 plate appearances with the Chicago White Sox in 2025, Tauchman hit .263/.356/.400 with nine home runs, 40 RBI, and 44 runs scored. The 35-year-old owns a career 12.6% walk rate and has posted an on-base percentage of at least .350 in three consecutive campaigns. Once healthy, Tauchman could challenge Mets rookie Carson Benge for playing time in right field.

5 days ago

Jonah Tong • SP • Mets

Jonah Tong to Contend for Early Call-Up?

New York Mets pitching prospect Jonah Tong could be an early-season call-up for the team whenever they find themselves in need of pitching. Although the right-hander struggled to a 7.71 ERA, 1.77 WHIP, and a 14.9 percent K-BB% in his five starts with the Mets last year, he was one of the most dominant arms in the minors before that. Despite being in the majors for the final month, the former seventh-round draft pick still led all minor leaguers with 179 strikeouts in just 113 2/3 innings pitched, good for a 14.17 K/9. If he can continue to dominate to begin the 2026 campaign and perhaps tone down the walks (career rate of 11.5 percent) then he should be in contention for an early-season call-up. Pitching-needy managers in deeper leagues could consider stashing the 22-year-old, who is available in over 90 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

5 days ago

Jorge Polanco • 2B • Mets

Jorge Polanco Batting Cleanup for Mets on Opening Day

New York Mets infielder Jorge Polanco is starting at first base and batting cleanup for the Mets in Thursday's Opening Day contest against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates and right-hander Paul Skenes, according to MLB.com. The matchup for DFS purposes against the reigning National League Cy Young winner isn't a great one for DFS for Polanco, but if he hits in the four-hole regularly this year behind Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, and Bo Bichette, he will have plenty of RBI opportunities as he splits time between first base and designated hitter in his first year in Queens. In his career against Skenes, Polanco has a hit in four at-bats. The 32-year-old Dominican switch-hitter will be looking to carry over his strong spring numbers to the regular season, as he went 9-for-29 (.310) with two home runs, four RBI, and six runs scored in 11 Grapefruit League contests.

5 days ago

Tommy Pham • LF • Mets

Mets Sign Tommy Pham to a Minor-League Deal

The New York Mets have signed outfielder Tommy Pham to a minor-league contract, according to Jorge Castillo of ESPN.com. Pham remained a free agent throughout all of spring training, which means he hasn't played in a game since September 28, 2025, with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He'll presumably need to ramp back up before he reports to the Mets' Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse, where he'll offer depth and a proven veteran presence. The 38-year-old continued to put the ball in play last season, slashing a modest .245/.330/.370 with an 11.1% walk rate, a 20.9% strikeout rate, and 94 wRC+ across 120 games. He bats right-handed and posted reverse splits in 2025, contributing an OPS of .716 against right-handed pitching and .651 against southpaws. Given his decent numbers at the plate last year, we wouldn't be surprised if Pham is the first player the Mets turn to when an outfielder or right-handed bat gets injured this season.

5 days ago

Carson Benge • CF • Mets

Carson Benge Batting Eighth in MLB Debut

New York Mets outfielder Carson Benge is batting eighth and playing right field as he makes his MLB debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Opening Day. Benge, the Mets' first-round pick in 2024, ascended from High-A to Triple-A last year, and now, he's opening the 2026 season in the majors. He earned the start after slashing .366/.435/.439 with two extra-base hits and five RBI in spring training. Extra-base hits are Benge's specialty, as he contributed 25 doubles, seven triples, and 15 homers across just 116 games in the minors last year. We'd expect him to continue demonstrating his ability to find gaps and gain extra bases with his speed as he makes his MLB debut. Assuming he holds onto his starting role, he should prove to be a great early-season waiver wire addition across fantasy baseball.

5 days ago

Francisco Lindor • SS • Mets

Francisco Lindor Officially Starting on Opening Day

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (hand) is officially in the starting lineup for Thursday's Opening Day contest against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He'll bat leadoff and play shortstop. There had been some speculation that Lindor might not be ready for the season opener after suffering a stress reaction in his hamate bone at the start of spring training. However, his recovery went well, and he even logged 19 at-bats across five games in spring training, showing that he was healthy enough to be in the lineup. As the season gets underway, Lindor will immediately face a tough opponent as the Pirates send Paul Skenes to the mound. All-time, Lindor is 2-for-6 against Skenes with a pair of singles.

5 days ago

Nolan McLean • SP • Mets

Nolan McLean Set Up For Breakout Sophmore Season?

New York Mets right-handed pitching prospect Nolan McLean enjoyed a strong showing in his first taste of MLB action last summer and is well-positioned to take the next step in his first full season. McLean opened the 2025 campaign with Double-A, but needed only 26 1/3 innings before earning the call to Triple-A Syracuse. With Double-A, McLean struck out 30 hitters while holding a 1.37 ERA. At Triple-A, McLean continued to find success, striking out 97 hitters over 87 1/3 innings while posting a 2.78 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. This dominant play earned him a late-season ticket to Queens, where he carried this momentum, logging 48 innings to the tune of a 2.067 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. He struck out 57 hitters and allowed walks at an 8.5% rate. McLean is slated to remain in the starting rotation in 2026 and is set up well to emerge as one of the game's top emerging starting pitchers, given the consistent success across all levels he enjoyed in 2025.

7 days ago

Francisco Lindor • SS • Mets

Francisco Lindor Likely to be Ready for Opening Day

MLB.com reports that New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (hand), who is recovering from a stress reaction in his left hamate bone, is likely to be ready for Opening Day on Thursday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Lindor made his Grapefruit League debut in spring training on March 15, which was 4 1/2 weeks after he had hand surgery on Feb. 11, and he's scheduled to play in each of the team's last two spring training games. Fantasy managers should be stoked that Lindor is on track for Opening Day, but he'll be greeted with a very difficult matchup in Game 1 on Thursday against reigning National League Cy Young winner Paul Skenes. Coming off a hand injury against one of the most dominant pitchers in the game will have fantasy managers in DFS avoiding the five-time All-Star if he's in the starting lineup, as expected. Overall, Lindor is one of the best shortstops in the game on one of the best teams in baseball. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 4 shortstop, behind only Bobby Witt Jr., Gunnar Henderson, and Elly De La Cruz.

7 days ago

Carson Benge • CF • Mets

Can Carson Benge Be a Waiver-Wire Wonder?

New York Mets outfielder Carson Benge is set to make a splash early in the season. He has officially made the roster and should play a regular role in the outfield. The lefty could end up in a platoon with righty Tyrone Taylor, but he should get enough time to make a real impact as part of the Mets' solid offense. The 23-year-old impressed in spring training this year, posting a .366/.435/.439 with a double, a triple, a stolen base, nine strikeouts, and four walks in 46 Grapefruit League plate appearances. His ADP is on the rise, and he makes a great addition towards the end of mixed-league drafts. If he gets through the draft, he'll be a great addition from the early-season waiver wire with plenty of potential to be a contributor all season long.

7 days ago

Carson Benge • CF • Mets

Carson Benge Makes Mets Opening Day Roster

New York Mets outfield prospect Carson Benge has officially made the team's Opening Day roster, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post. It was pretty much a done deal once it was announced over the weekend that Mike Tauchman needed knee surgery. The 23-year-old could split playing time against left-handers to Tyrone Taylor in right field, but he figures to be on the strong side of a platoon to begin the 2026 campaign. Benge just looked like he belonged in spring training, hitting .366/.435/.439 with nine strikeouts and four walks in 46 Grapefruit League plate appearances. His fantasy ADP continues to rise now that it's official he'll be in the big leagues to begin the year. The former 19th overall pick and two-way player finished in a rough patch at Triple-A Syracuse last year, but overall he slashed .281/.358/.472 with 15 home runs and 22 stolen bases in 116 games over three minor-league stops in 2025.It's not often a young player is named a starter on Opening Day as he makes his MLB debut.

Mar 23

Carson Benge • CF • Mets

Carson Benge Projected to Start on Opening Day

New York Mets outfield prospect Carson Benge is projected to be the team's Opening Day right fielder. Following the injury to Mike Tauchman (knee), the rookie seems destined to claim the starting right field job when the Mets face the Pirates later this week, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Benge has enjoyed a strong showing in spring training, posting a .366/.435/.439 line with an. 874 OPS with an 8:4 K:BB over 14 games. Even though Benge has yet to take an MLB at-bat, the former first-round pick enters the week as the clear favorite to earn the right field job. Last season, Benge logged 114 games across High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A, and carried an overall .281/.385/.472 line with 15 home runs and 22 stolen bases. He is emerging as a top late-round sleeper candidate.

Mar 23

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