Why the 2026 New York Mets Show That Money Can’t Buy a Winning Baseball Team

Baseball Is Full of Surprises

The 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) season — that’s the big league of professional baseball — is already more than halfway over. Once again, it shows us how tricky it is to guess what will happen in baseball.

A perfect example? The New York Mets.

The Mets: Baseball’s Biggest Spenders

The Mets are one of the richest teams in baseball. Back in 2020, a billionaire named Steve Cohen became the owner. He promised to build a "dream team" by using his massive wealth along with smart planning from the "front office" (the business side that signs players).

Here is how much they have spent:

• Starting with the 2022 season, the Mets have paid their players more money (called "payroll," or total player salaries) than any other team: a whopping $1.671 billion.
• Yes, they even spent more than the famous big-spenders, the Los Angeles Dodgers!

Big Money Contracts and Hires

• Before the 2022 season, they gave star player Francisco Lindor (a "shortstop," a defensive position) a 10-year deal worth $341 million.
• They also signed pitcher Max Scherzer to one of the highest-paying yearly contracts ever.
• In late 2023, Cohen hired Dave Stearns from the Milwaukee Brewers to reorganize the front office. Stearns had made the Brewers really good despite having much less money to spend.

Important Point: Even with all this cash and smart hiring, the Mets haven’t won much. Over the past five seasons as the top spenders, they’ve only made the playoffs (the special games after the regular season) two times.

The Bumpy Road to 2026

Let’s look at their report card:

• 2022: Lost to the Padres in the first playoff round (wild card series).
• 2023: Despite all the stars, they won just 75 games and lost 87. They finished 29 games behind the leader.
• 2024: Lost to the Dodgers in the NLCS (a later playoff round).
• After 2024, they signed Juan Soto to the most expensive contract in sports history: 15 years and $765 million (possibly over $800 million with extras).
• 2025: Missed the playoffs again after an 83-79 record.

Hitting the Reset Button for 2026

Instead of keeping the same team for 2026, Stearns decided to change almost everything. Here are the big moves they made:

1. Pete Alonso left to join the Baltimore Orioles.
2. Brandon Nimmo was traded (swapped) to the Texas Rangers for player Marcus Semien.
3. They traded two young prospects (hopeful future stars) to Milwaukee for pitcher Freddy Peralta.
4. They signed a "closer" (a pitcher who finishes games), Devin Williams.
5. They brought in players Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco after good seasons.
6. They added pitcher Luke Weaver.
7. They traded for player Luis Robert Jr.

The 2026 Meltdown

So, how did all these changes work out? Not well. As of early in the week (entering Tuesday):

• The Mets had the second-worst record in their league (just barely ahead of the Colorado Rockies).
• They had been outscored by 60 runs (they let in way more points than they made).
• They are dead last in their division (their local group), sitting 15 games behind the Atlanta Braves.
• According to a website called FanGraphs, their chance to reach the playoffs dropped to just 2%.

It’s a disaster — a $370 million disaster.

A Possible "Fire Sale"

A baseball writer named Jon Heyman recently reported that the Mets might be ready to blow it all up again. He posted on social media (X) that a "deadline sale" (trading players away mid-season) could start any day. He wrote that everyone should be available to trade except for young players Ewing, Benge, McLean, Scott, and Juan Soto.

Callout: The players Heyman says might be traded include big names like Bichette, Robert Jr., Peralta, Williams, and even Lindor! Trading them would be a stunning admission that the expensive plan failed.

But here’s the catch — how much are these players even worth right now?

• Bichette has been a below-average hitter this year and is owed $84 million over the next two seasons (a choice he has to stay, called a player option, which is now basically guaranteed).
• Lindor has been hurt most of the year and played below average when healthy.
• Robert has also been injured and unimpressive.

Because very few teams are selling players, a rival team might take on some of that money to get a star. Cohen previously said he didn’t want Lindor traded, but after spending billions with little reward, a full reset might be the only way forward.

Lindor (age 32) would still bring some value, but his huge contract means less than fans hope. Bichette’s big salary also limits his appeal. However, fans can still dream that these stars return to their best and help the team win in the playoffs.

The Big Picture

It’s hard to believe it came to this. The Mets were supposed to be like the Dodgers — a mix of big money and smart planning (the "East Coast version"). Instead, they are heading to another October watching from home, still looking for their first division title since 2015.

Money can buy a lot, but as the 2026 Mets show, it can’t buy everything.

Summary

The New York Mets, owned by billionaire Steve Cohen, have spent the most money in baseball since 2022 (over $1.6 billion) to try to win. They signed huge contracts with stars like Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto, and hired smart executive Dave Stearns. However, they have mostly missed the playoffs or lost early. In 2026, after a big roster shakeup, they have one of the worst records in the league and might trade away their remaining stars. It proves that even with endless cash, winning in baseball is never guaranteed.

Reporting context provided by Ian Miller, a writer at OutKick.

FAQ

1. What does "payroll" mean in baseball?

Payroll is the total amount of money a team pays its players in salaries (like a paycheck). The Mets have had the highest payroll in baseball since 2022.

2. Who is Steve Cohen?

Steve Cohen is a billionaire who bought the New York Mets in 2020. He promised to use his money to make the team a consistent winner.

3. What is a "deadline sale" or "fire sale"?

In MLB, there is a mid-season "trade deadline." A "sale" means a team trades away its older or expensive star players to get younger players or save money, usually because they aren’t winning enough.

4. Why is Juan Soto’s contract such a big deal?

Juan Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets after 2024. It is the most expensive contract in the history of sports!

5. Have the Mets won their division recently?

No. The Mets have not won their division (a group of teams they regularly play) since 2015, and the 2026 season looks like another missed chance.