As we near the end of August, it means New York Mets fans only have a month left in what has been a disastrous season for the club. Yes, they have shown some life over the last few weeks — led by National League Rookie of the Year candidate Carson Benge. But it won’t make supporters overlook five months of torture as the most expensive roster in MLB this year ($345 million with taxes) had one of the worst records in the league for much of the season.
The Mets should use the final month of the 2026 campaign to evaluate what they have, and what they may need to target in the offseason. With September nearly here, we ask you, the Mets fans, several questions to ponder if you were running the team’s front office over the next 30 days.
Would you promote Jonah Tong after his improved play recently?Jun 2, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Jonah Tong (21) pitches to the Seattle Mariners during the second inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn ImagesA year ago, pitcher Jonah Tong was viewed as one of the true gems in the Mets minor league system. But after a disappointing showing in 2026, there are big doubts about his potential. However, outside of a game where he gave up five runs earlier this month, he has been much better in his last seven starts. This includes two scoreless outings.
The Mets need to figure out if Tong can be an impact starter at the next level or if they need to rethink his future inside the organization. With his confidence in a better place, and the big league club playing better, would you bring Tong up a second time this season for closer evaluation and see if he can cut it long-term in the pros?
Would you give Jared Young the chance to win the starting 1B job for next season in September?Aug 27, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Jared Young (29) gestures after hitting an RBI double in the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn ImagesIn what has been a very disappointing season, former KBO star Jared Young has been one of the team’s few bright spots in 2026. The 31-year-old has a solid .265/.326/.435/.761 slashline with 8 homers, 15 doubles, 32 RBIs, and 32 runs in 86 appearances.
Heading into the offseason, the 1B spot is still a question mark. The team will hope Jorge Polanco can bounce back, but he may be better off being a permanent DH. Would you give Young the rest of the campaign to win the starting spot for next season?
Would you like to see Juan Soto get time at first before the season’s over?Jul 20, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; New York Mets left fielder Juan Soto (22) during the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn ImagesBenge has locked up a starting outfield spot next season. And fellow rookie AJ Ewing has also done enough to be considered a starter in center going into next year. Obviously, Juan Soto will have the other spot in the outfield. But should he?
We all know the $765 million man’s defense is not going to improve, and there has been off-and-on speculation for a while about him eventually moving to first. Should that transition begin in September? Whenever Soto does return to the field this season, would you try to talk him into playing some first next month to broaden the team’s 1B options for next year?
Would you bring Devin Williams back or let Kodai Senga be the closer for the rest of the season?Aug 7, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Devin Williams (38) throws in the outfield before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn ImagesDevin Williams is one of several bad moves president David Stearns made this past offseason. The hope was that his rough one-and-done season with the New York Yankees was an outlier and he would return to his All-Star form in 2026. That never happened, as he has a 4.66 ERA and 1.655 WHIP with just 16 saves this season.
He is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury, and to the surprise of many, Kodai Senga has been stellar as his replacement. Would you sit Williams for the rest of the season and see if Kodai Senga is a legitimate option to become the full-time closer in 2027?
Would you have traded Francisco Alvarez before the trade deadline?Aug 15, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) hits a double against the Washington Nationals during the ninth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Tom Horak-Imagn ImagesThere were rumors before the MLB trade deadline that the Mets could trade either of their catchers. In the end, they did not move them despite a strong market for the position. While he has gotten many opportunities, Francisco Alvarez has come nowhere close to reaching his potential as one of the best prospects in baseball a few years ago.
This week, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel ranked the Mets minors as the 24th-best in baseball. That’s after Stearns made a bunch of trades and got a dozen prospects back in the deal. Would you have traded the once-elite prospect earlier this month to bolster what was once one of the better minor league systems in baseball a year ago? The Mets could have gotten a good return for the 24-year-old catcher with pol.
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