{"id":125229,"date":"2026-07-06T01:59:16","date_gmt":"2026-07-06T05:59:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=125229"},"modified":"2026-07-06T01:59:16","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T05:59:16","slug":"2026-mets-2027-mets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2026\/07\/06\/2026-mets-2027-mets\/","title":{"rendered":"What the 2026 Mets Tell Us About the 2027 Mets"},"content":{"rendered":"

With Major League Baseball\u2019s trade deadline less than a month away, the New York Mets appear headed toward selling<\/a>. At 37-53 and 11 1\/2 games out of a National League Wild Card spot, there\u2019s little reason to believe this season can be salvaged. <\/span>Yet despite the disappointing record, the Mets may have already begun building the next core of their franchise.<\/span><\/p>\n

When Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns decided to deal<\/a> longtime outfielder and beloved fan-favorite Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers, it was a direct message saying the club would be breaking up the core. And with that, the destruction had begun. They didn’t offer a contract to Pete Alonso<\/a>, traded Jeff McNeil<\/a>, and didn’t retain Edwin D\u00edaz<\/a>. As a result, this year’s Mets were left without a core.<\/p>\n

But 2027 could mark the beginning of the Mets\u2019 next competitive core. With Francisco Lindor<\/a> and Juan Soto<\/a> already in place as franchise cornerstones, Nolan McLean<\/a>, Carson Benge<\/a> and A.J. Ewing<\/a> look capable of becoming the next homegrown pieces around them.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A New Mets Core in 2027?<\/h2>\n

Nolan McLean<\/h2>\n

After McLean’s magic in late 2025, everyone wanted to see more. It’s been an up-and-down season for McLean to this point, but it’s been on the rise lately. On Sunday, he mowed down the Braves to get through six innings after a shaky first. And for McLean, that’s now five quality pitching performances in his last six starts. His 3.73 ERA is inflated due to three clunkers in which he allowed six or more runs. But for New York, it’s the way McLean has responded to each of them that has the club excited.<\/p>\n

“He’s a competitor,” interim manager Andy Green said. “[He] didn’t really have a feel in the first [inning] for the zone like he did the rest of the game. Settled in really well [and was] really in control of the game where he was just mowing the lineup for most of the day.”<\/p>\n

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Nolan McLean in his last seven starts:<\/p>\n

40 IP, 28 H, 14 R (12 ER), 18 BB, 43 K , 2.70 ERA pic.twitter.com\/abO5N0Y4dx<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Mets’d Up Podcast (@MetsdUp) July 5, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n