As we move into the final weeks of the offseason and approach spring training, it’s time to evaluate the current roster and make a few early predictions about what the Mets’ Opening Day lineup could look like. With spring training just about a month away, the chaos of the offseason is nearly over, and a new chapter is set to begin with the 2026 season.

This year feels especially different. The Mets are coming off a major transition after losing the core four this past season — McNeil, Nimmo, Alonso, and Díaz. Below, I break down the projected Opening Day lineup and what this retooled roster might look like heading into the new year. I will be using last year’s statistics, as well as predictions for the future, to determine where each of the nine hitters will fall in the batting order.

Leadoff hitter – #12 Shortstop Francisco Lindor

After another stellar MVP-caliber season, Francisco Lindor is right where he is used to hitting — leading off the game. He has been the Mets’ leadoff hitter for the past two years, and nothing will change. Lindor was nothing short of stellar in 2025, posting a 129 OPS+ with a slash line of .267/.346/.466/.811 while hammering 31 home runs. He totaled 172 hits, 117 runs, 86 RBIs, and 31 stolen bases, finishing with a 5.9 WAR. He is back where he belongs at the top of the lineup.

Second hitter – #10 Second Baseman- Marcus Semien

The first new addition to the lineup is Marcus Semien, who came over from the Rangers in the Brandon Nimmo trade. He will slot in as Jeff McNeil’s replacement at second base for at least the next three seasons. Although last year wasn’t a strong offensive year for Semien, he remains one of the league’s best defensive second basemen, highlighted by his outstanding glove work that earned him his second Gold Glove.

I saw a statistic showing that many of his underlying metrics stayed consistent with previous seasons, and last year appeared to be more of a fluke, especially considering how similar those numbers to his MVP top-three finish seasons. This time around, he struggled with hitting with runners on base. I believe a new environment and hitting behind Juan Soto will lead to a bounce-back season. Stats don’t tell the full story, and I still believe Semien will be a strong asset to this team.

Third hitter – #22 Left Fielder Juan Soto

No one does it better than Juan Soto, and after one of the best seasons of his career, he will once again have a big year in front of the Queens faithful. If last season was one of his best, I can only imagine what next year will bring for the young Ted Williams. After posting a career-average 160 OPS+ in his first 577 at-bats with the Mets, it looks like the team is in for a real treat in year two.

In 2025, Soto broke the Mets’ single-season walk record, surpassing John Olerud’s 125 walks in 2000 by drawing 127 free passes in his first year with the team. He finished the season with a slash line of .263/.396/.525/.921, totaling 152 hits, 43 home runs — a career high — 105 runs scored, 120 RBIs, and 38 stolen bases, also a career best. I believe next year could be just as good, if not better, as he once again enters the season as an MVP frontrunner

Cleanup hitter – #30 Right Fielder Kyle Tucker

This is where one of my predictions comes into play. I believe Kyle Tucker will sign with the Mets and either play left field or right field to open the season. He will most likely play left field, but for this prediction, I have him returning to his original position in right field while Juan Soto moves back to left. Left field is an easier defensive position for Soto and allows Tucker to settle comfortably into right.

Kyle Tucker is in the upper echelon of MLB players and has posted a 4.6 WAR or better in every season since 2021, his first full year in the majors. Even with injuries last season, Tucker was still one of the best players in baseball. He posted a 143 OPS+ while slashing .266/.377/.464/.841, hitting 22 home runs, scoring 91 runs, driving in 73 RBIs, collecting 133 hits, and stealing 25 bases.

Fifth hitter- #11 First Baseman- Jorge Polanco

The second player signed this past offseason is Jorge Polanco, who will serve as the Mets’ everyday first baseman while also spending time at designated hitter. Polanco is certainly a downgrade in terms of pure first-base production, but he still had a very strong season for the Mariners in 2025.

In 2025, Polanco posted a 134 OPS+ while slashing .265/.326/.495/.821. He hit 26 home runs, scored 64 runs, drove in 78 RBIs, collected 125 hits, and stole six bases, finishing the season with a 2.6 WAR. Even with the loss of Pete Alonso, Polanco should remain a productive player for the Mets and can still create trouble both at the plate and on the bases.

Although he has only played one inning of first base in his career, Polanco has quickly ramped up his work at the position in preparation for 2026, doing everything he can to help the team succeed.

Sixth hitter- #7 Third Baseman- Brett Baty

Brett Baty certainly had a career year and broke out at the perfect time for the Mets last season. He played in 130 games and shattered all of his previous career highs. He is a player the Mets have a lot of respect for and believe can break out even more in 2026.

Baty showed major strides in Triple-A as an extremely productive player, and as time goes on and he becomes responsible for more games at third base, we will slowly see both his comfort and production rise at the position. In 2025, he posted his first above-average OPS+ at 111 while slashing .254/.313/.435/.749. He hit 18 home runs, drove in 50 RBIs, scored 53 runs, collected 100 hits, and stole eight bases, finishing with a 3.1 WAR.

With another year of development, playing on the same side of the lineup as Juan Soto, and simply progressing naturally, I believe Baty will continue to rise and have another season where he exceeds expectations.

Seventh hitter- #4 Catcher- Francisco Alvarez

After struggling in the first half, dealing with injuries, and being demoted to Triple-A, Francisco Álvarez bounced back strong after returning from the IL. He posted the highest OPS+ of his career at 122. In 2025, Álvarez slashed .256/.339/.447/.787 while hitting 11 home runs, scoring 32 runs, driving in 32 RBIs, and collecting 63 hits, finishing with a 1.9 WAR.

He accomplished all of this in just half a season, appearing in only 76 games. Álvarez is in line for another strong year with the Mets. My only hope is that he can stay healthy, but he is a trooper who consistently holds down the fort even while playing through injuries. I’m excited to see the fifth season of Francisco Álvarez and how he can boost his production in 2026. Beyond his bat, he remains one of the best defensive catchers on the roster and did an excellent job managing the pitching staff.

Eighth hitter- #27 Designated Hitter- Mark Vientos

The trio of Mark Vientos, Brett Baty, and Francisco Álvarez can be swapped around in a few different ways, but based on last year’s statistics, I believe this is the best way to construct the Mets’ Opening Day lineup. The 2024 season feels much farther away than it actually is, especially considering Vientos hit 27 home runs and drove in 71 RBIs that year. After last season, I hope that production wasn’t a fluke and that 2025 was simply some form of a sophomore slump.

Vientos showed improvement toward the end of last season, hitting nine home runs from late August through September to bring his total to 17. For the year, he posted a 97 OPS+, slightly below league average. In 424 at-bats, he hit 17 home runs, recorded 99 hits, scored 44 runs, and drove in 61 RBIs while slashing .233/.289/.413/.702.

Let’s put the 2025 season behind us and assume it was an outlier, with his true baseline being the production he showed during the 2024 regular season and postseason. While Vientos did post slightly better counting stats than Brett Baty, Baty was more consistent overall. This feels like a solid spot for Vientos on Opening Day, though he could always work his way up the lineup as the season progresses.

Ninth hitter- #15 Centerfielder- Tyrone Taylor

This is where we get strictly into the David Stearns–style prioritization of defense and run prevention within the lineup. Tyrone Taylor is a fabulous outfielder, even if he isn’t much of a hitter. He is known for strong defensive metrics and, in recent years, has shown excellent range, highlighted by his range factor per nine innings (RF/9).

In 2024, Taylor posted 10 defensive runs saved (DRS) for the Mets, and his 2025 metrics remained strong in center field, reinforcing his value as a run-prevention player. He recorded a .992 fielding percentage, committing just two errors while tallying 245 putouts. A putout is recorded any time Taylor catches the ball for an out, tags a runner, or completes a groundout. Regardless of offense, he remains an important piece of the Mets’ defense.

Taylor logged 270 innings in the outfield, recorded eight assists, and turned two double plays. Offensively, however, he struggled, finishing the season with a 70 OPS+ while slashing .233/.279/.319/.598. He scored 34 runs, drove in 27 RBIs, collected 69 hits, stole 12 bases, and finished with a 1.0 WAR.

Every team needs at least one player on the field who is there strictly for run prevention. That role belongs to Taylor. However, shortly after Opening Day, I believe the Mets will call up top hitting prospect Carson Benge to rotate time in center field with Taylor. Until then, Tyrone Taylor is the guy in center.

Starting Pitcher- #59- Framber Valdez

The final position to address is starting pitcher, and I believe the Mets will make another big splash in free agency by signing Framber Valdez to be the ace of the staff. The most important piece of the Opening Day puzzle is the maestro — Mr. Framber Valdez. The Mets desperately need an ace who can lock down the rotation and lead the team to the postseason.

If the Mets choose not to spend big on a starting pitcher after already hypothetically signing Kyle Tucker, then Nolan McLean would likely be the Opening Day starter. However, Framber Valdez remains the ideal option.

Valdez’s 2025 season with the Astros was excellent and continued his stretch of consistency, marking another season of at least 3.2 WAR dating back to 2022. In 2025, he posted a 3.8 WAR with a 13–11 record, a 3.66 ERA across 31 starts, and 192 innings pitched. He struck out 187 batters and finished with a 1.245 WHIP. While his ERA+ of 114 was the lowest of that stretch, he remains incredibly durable and continues to be one of the more underrated starters in baseball, especially given his willingness to attack hitters inside.

Overall, I believe Valdez is one of the best starters in the game and the best available ace not currently on the trade market. Perhaps the signing of Kyle Tucker would only further entice Framber Valdez to join the Mets and reunite with his former teammate.

These are my predictions and what I believe the Mets’ Opening Day lineup will look like for the 2026 season. With recent news of the Mets meeting with Kyle Tucker and those discussions reportedly going well, it may be closer than we realize for Tucker to sign with the Mets for 2026 and beyond.

Of course, anything can change, but I truly believe the Mets are one strong free-agent signing away from having a great lineup again. After looking through each of the nine hitters and analyzing their statistics, it becomes clear that this lineup isn’t nearly as bad as some people make it out to be. Yes, we lost Brandon Nimmo and Pete Alonso, and Jeff McNeil was replaced by Marcus Semien, but this lineup is still very productive.

To put it simply, there is really only one blemish in the lineup, and that is Tyrone Taylor — who still more than carries his weight defensively. Mark Vientos and Marcus Semien are both strong players who I believe will return closer to their career norms next season. Another year of hitting alongside Juan Soto will only help everyone involved.

Let’s go Mets.