Is it World Series or bust this year for the Mets?

With the addition of Juan Soto expectations are higher for the 2025 team

What’s up with the Mets? 🍎

• Luisangel Acuña was named as a finalist for Rookie of the Year in the Venezuelan Winter League (SI.com)

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Rumor Mill 💨

• The Angels are now weighing a possible pursuit of Pete Alonso (New York Post)

• The Blue Jays and Tigers are the two teams that have the best chance at signing Anthony Santander (SI.com)

• RHP Jeff Hoffman is drawing interest as a starting pitcher, and is seeking a deal similar to that the Mets gave RHP Clay Holmes (Athletic)

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What is the definition of a successful season in 2025? ✍️

After David Stearns signed Juan Soto, it was a clear message to the league that the Mets were all-in with their pursuit of the elusive World Series victory, but with greater star power comes greater expectations as the calendar turns to a new year.

The Mets proved they could go toe-to-toe with the best in the league last season before just running out of gas in the NLCS against the Dodgers. The Dodgers went on to win the World Series, so there is no shame in how the Mets played against them before getting eliminated.

But now they have Soto.

The goal is to not just hang with the big boys in the league but to defeat them. So the question remains: is it World Series or bust in 2025?

Stearns has set the team up for success this season not just with the addition of Soto, but with re-signing Sean Manaea and adding José Siri, Frankie Montas, and Clay Holmes. Obviously, the offseason is not over, and there are few moves left to make, but this is a good team as we count down the days to the beginning of spring training.

Even so, the National League is stacked with teams who are looking to be postseason-competitive in 2025. The Dodgers, Padres, Braves, Brewers, and Phillies will all once again be tough competition, while the Cubs, Diamondbacks, Giants, and Reds have the potential to be Wild Card teams. Even the Pirates should be tough with their emerging rotation headed by Paul Skenes.

That’s 10 teams in the National League alone standing in the Mets way in 2025.

The path through National League is a much longer and more difficult road to the top than it is in the American League now. So, the Mets need to now go that extra mile, figure out this Pete Alonso contract so they can lengthen the lineup and protect the middle more, shorten the game by getting quality, swing-and-miss relievers to set up Edwin Díaz, and build out their position-player depth with a little extra thump from the left side along with some added run prevention.

At the same time, the Mets need to make sure they aren’t just set up for success this year but for sustained success. That might also mean they pass on some current free agents in an effort to keep positions on the field fluid not just for their internal prospects, but for opportunities in the external markets in future seasons. The current Phillies are a stark reminder of what locking in players long-term at all of their positions can do to their ability to make supplemental investments to improve the team.

As such, missing out on the World Series won’t necessarily mean the season was a failure, but what comes after could ultimately be the deciding factor.

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Around the League 🚩

• The Brewers acquired RHP Grant Anderson from the Rangers in exchange for minor league LHP Mason Molina

• The White Sox have reportedly signed utilityman Josh Rojas to a one-year deal (MLB.com)

• Paul Goldschmidt met with the media for the first time since joining the Yankees and he believes his struggles last season are not indicative of the ballplayer he is today (ESPN)