If you’re a Mets fan, you know the drill. It’s January 2026. The snow is starting to pile up in Flushing, and the only thing colder than the Citi Field parking lot is the memory of how last September ended. Honestly, looking at the standings right now feels a bit like looking at a ghost town because the 2026 season hasn't started yet. We are in that weird, quiet pocket of the MLB calendar where every team is technically tied for first place.
But let’s be real. When people ask where are the mets in the standings, they usually aren't looking for a bunch of zeros. They’re looking for the wreckage of the 2025 season or a reason to believe 2026 won't break their hearts again.
The Mets finished the 2025 season with an 83–79 record. On paper? It’s a winning season. It’s their second consecutive winning year, something they haven't pulled off since the 2015–2016 run. But if you actually watched the games, you know that record is a massive lie. It’s a mask for one of the most frustrating collapses in recent New York sports history.
The 2025 NL East Standings: A Brutal Reality Check
To understand where the Mets sit right now in the hierarchy of the National League, you have to look at how the dust settled last October. They didn't just miss the playoffs; they fell off a cliff.
At one point in 2025, this team was 45–24. They were the toast of the town. Fans were already checking airline prices for World Series tickets. Then, the wheels didn't just come off—the whole car disintegrated. They went 38–55 over their final 93 games.
By the time Game 162 wrapped up, the NL East standings looked like this:
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- Philadelphia Phillies: 96–66 (Division Winners)
- New York Mets: 83–79 (13.0 games back)
- Miami Marlins: 79–83 (17.0 games back)
- Atlanta Braves: 76–86 (20.0 games back)
- Washington Nationals: 66–96 (30.0 games back)
Thirteen games behind Philly. That hurts. Especially when you consider the Mets were essentially tied with the Cincinnati Reds for the final Wild Card spot but lost the head-to-head tiebreaker. They missed October baseball by a single game. A 4–0 loss to the Marlins on the final day of the season was the final nail in the coffin. Talk about a "Same Old Mets" moment.
Why the standings don't tell the whole story
The Mets became only the third team in the entire Wild Card era to start 45–24 or better and still manage to miss the postseason. They joined the 2002 Red Sox and 2003 Mariners in a club nobody wants to be in.
It wasn't just one thing. It was three separate losing streaks of seven or more games. It was a bullpen that felt like a pyrotechnics show most nights. It was watching the NL East title, which they held for a good chunk of the early summer, slip away during a brutal June stretch where they got swept by the Rays, Braves, and Phillies in rapid succession.
Where the Mets Stand Today (January 2026)
Since there are no active games, the "standings" are purely theoretical. However, the 2026 New York Mets roster is currently undergoing a massive, somewhat terrifying facelift. If you’ve been under a rock for the last month, Steve Cohen and David Stearns basically took a sledgehammer to the core of the team.
- Pete Alonso is gone. He signed with the Orioles on December 10, 2025. That one still feels fake.
- Edwin Díaz is gone. The "Narco" trumpets are heading to the Dodgers after he signed a massive deal in early December.
- Brandon Nimmo is gone. Traded to the Texas Rangers for Marcus Semien.
- Jeff McNeil is gone. Traded to the Athletics just before Christmas.
It’s a total teardown. This isn't the team that won 83 games last year. It's a new era, for better or worse.
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The Bo Bichette Pivot
Just when fans were ready to riot, the Mets made a massive splash. After losing out on Kyle Tucker to the Dodgers (because of course they did), the Mets pivoted and signed Bo Bichette to a three-year, $126 million deal on January 16, 2026.
Bichette is coming off a season where he slashed .311/.357/.483. The plan? He’s likely moving to third base. This pushes Brett Baty over to first base to fill the crater left by Alonso. It's a risky move, but Bichette provides the kind of bat-to-ball skill this lineup desperately lacked during those mid-summer slumps last year.
Can they compete in 2026?
Fangraphs and other projection systems are already crunching the numbers for the upcoming season. Despite the roster churn, the Mets are projected to stay in the mix for a Wild Card spot. But the NL East is still a gauntlet.
The Phillies are still the kings of the hill until proven otherwise. The Braves had a "down" year in 2025 due to injuries, but they’re expected to bounce back. The Marlins, who always seem to be the Mets' kryptonite, aren't going anywhere either.
Honestly, the Mets are currently in a state of "competitive transition." They’ve shed the high-priced veterans of the previous regime and are trying to build something more sustainable around Francisco Lindor and new additions like Bichette.
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Key dates to watch for the standings to change:
- February 2026: Pitchers and catchers report to Port St. Lucie.
- March 26, 2026: Opening Day at Citi Field against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
- April 28, 2026: First divisional matchup against the Nationals.
The road back to the top of the NL East is long. Right now, the Mets are sitting in that uncomfortable middle ground: too good to truly "tank," but currently lacking the depth of the Phillies or the Dodgers.
Actionable Insights for Mets Fans
If you're tracking the standings and want to know if this year will be different, keep an eye on these specific areas as Spring Training approaches:
- The Starting Rotation: Beyond Kodai Senga, there are massive question marks. If they don't land another impact arm (rumors are swirling about Zac Gallen), the standings won't look much better in 2026.
- The Outfield Mix: With Nimmo gone, the projected starting outfield looks like a combination of Tyrone Taylor, prospect Carson Benge, and potentially a late-offseason addition like Cody Bellinger.
- The Bichette Adjustment: Watch how Bo handles the transition to the hot corner. If his defense at third base is a liability, it puts even more pressure on a pitching staff that's already thin.
The Mets finished 2025 in second place in the NL East, but it was a distant second. For 2026 to be a success, they don't just need a better record; they need to avoid the historic "September Scaries" that have defined the last few years.
Stay tuned to the waiver wire—the Mets just claimed SS Tsung-Che Cheng from the Rays—because David Stearns isn't done tinkering with this roster yet. The 2026 standings might be empty for now, but the battle for New York's baseball soul is already in full swing.