The New York Mets ended their disastrous 2026 campaign at the bottom of the NL East, with a 74-88 record. As David Stearns’ roster overhaul failed to bear any fruit, the Mets have their work cut out for them before the 2027 season. But former player and current SNY analyst Ron Darling has not lost any hope. He believes the organization has developed something special when it comes to the pitchers of the organization. Despite the team’s struggles, Darling found considerable potential in the Mets’ pitching staff and predicted that the current group could eventually surpass previous generations of Mets pitching greats.

Speaking on The Mets Pod, Ron Darling expressed his admiration for Jonah Tong (3.81 ERA) and hoped the young right-hander would progress smoothly and clear the hurdles in his path. He also mentioned Zac Thornton (3.42 ERA) and Nolan McLean (3.16 ERA), highlighting how they can become dependable arms in the future.

“I’m a big fan of Jonah, and I’m hoping that he makes the next hurdle because I just like everything about him. What’s not to like about those other pitchers? They have been so good. Zach Thornton, probably the biggest overachiever to this point. McLean’s going to be a star at some point,” said Darling on The Pod, per SNY Mets.

“I just think they have the beginnings of what they had with Harvey and deGrom and others that might not have panned out as well as you wanted it to. This one probably didn’t have as much kind of press coming in, but they might end up being the best of all of them,” he added.

Darling’s comparison not only adds expectations to the current pitching corps, but also carries historical significance. During the early-to-mid-2010s, the organization’s collection of young pitchers included Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, and Steven Matz. Harvey and Syndergaard became prominent faces of the franchise. Meanwhile, deGrom developed into one of baseball’s best pitchers, winning consecutive National League Cy Young Awards in 2018 and 2019. Darling’s comparison anchors the prediction to the Mets’ early-2010s generation of Harvey, deGrom, Syndergaard, and Matz. However, injuries and inconsistent availability prevented that generation from delivering the sustained success many expected.

Darling believes the current group has the potential to avoid those disappointments and deliver the best for the franchise.

There is, however, a considerable gap between promising individual performances and building a competitive rotation. The Mets missed reaching the postseason for a second consecutive year. President of baseball operations David Stearns has acknowledged that adding starting pitching is necessary, suggesting the organization does not intend to rely exclusively on its young arms. After trading away Clay Holmes and a struggling Freddy Peralta during the trade deadline, the Mets would be in search of established arms in the offseason. Collectively, the Mets pitching staff finished the regular season posting a 4.15 ERA.
McLean, Thornton, Tong, and Christian Scott (3.85 ERA) have shown enough to generate optimism, but maintaining their health, consistency, and development will determine whether Darling’s prediction comes true.

For a franchise that has previously watched promising pitching generations fall short of expectations, the challenge is no longer simply finding talented arms. It is turning that talent into a sustainable foundation and finding its way back to the playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Mets’ core lineup has received a major boost ahead of their 2027 campaign.

Bo Bichette opted to stay with the Mets in 2027

The Mets signed Bo Bichette to a three-year, $126 million contract ahead of the 2026 season. His contract also featured two opt-outs, one after the 2026 season and another after 2027.

Despite his initial struggles with the Mets, Bichette opted to exercise his $42 million player option, staying with the franchise next season. This year, Bichette finished the regular season hitting .260, with 18 home runs and 78 RBIs.

While playing for the Mets, Bichette also took on a new defensive role this year. After playing shortstop for the Toronto Blue Jays, Bichette took on third-base duties after arriving in New York. With Francisco Lindor as the Mets’ primary shortstop, Bichette played only 47 games at the position. He played 113 games at third base and recorded 5 errors in 2026. Last season, Bichette played the highest number of games in his career (160).

As Bichette’s familiarity grew within the clubhouse, he took on a mentorship role for the team’s younger players, including prospects like A.J. Ewing and Carson Benge.

Bichette will join the lineup core of Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, and rookies Ewing and Benge next season. For his second season in Queens, the Mets would hope that Bichette unlocks his .800+ OPS form that existed in Toronto.