Through the 2026 season, the Mets finished in last place in the National League East, going a mediocre 74-88. 

There were several bright spots, including superstar outfielder Juan Soto, the bullpen’s consistency, and the development of rookies Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, and others on the roster. 

However, the team dealt with a large number of injuries, inconsistency, and ineffectiveness from several impact players. 

The majority of David Stearns’ offseason acquisitions backfired this season, which definitely contributed to the team’s downfall. 

Since the season has officially ended, it is time for the pitching grades on the Mets.

The benchmarks are based on pitching, games played, and the pitchers’ expectations.

Andy Green and David Stearns will also receive a grade. 

Nolan McLean: A 

Any other grade for McLean is downright foolish. In his first full season, he threw 179.2 innings (14th most), pitched to a 3.14 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, struck out 194 batters (3rd most by a Mets rookie), and produced 20 quality starts (3rd most among starting pitchers). This is a potential ace-in-the-making, and David Stearns’ job is to find another starter or two to ease the pressure off McLean. However, he definitely delivered and should garner some Rookie of the Year votes. 

Nate Lavender: A-

Lavender doesn’t have overpowering velocity, but his pristine command gives the team a potential lockdown southpaw in their bullpen. He provided a strong 1.66 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, 26 strikeouts in 21 innings, and 12 holds over the final month-plus of the season. 

Zac Thornton: B 

For a starter beginning in Double-A with virtually no expectations and overpowering stuff, Thornton was able to progress through the minors and produce in the majors. His numbers don’t jump off the page (63 strikeouts, 3.42 ERA), but he provides length, efficiency, and has no issue going at the best hitters in the game. If he can increase his velocity to near 96 MPH on his fastball, Thornton can be a pitcher to watch in 2027. Right now, he profiles as a SP4 or SP5 in an ideal starting rotation. 

Christian Scott: B 

In his first year back from Tommy John Surgery, Scott showed flashes of the top prospect that he was in 2023. His devastating fastball makes his strikeout rate elite (11.0 K/9), but his issue of getting into jams continued to hurt him as the season went on. Definitely an encouraging season for Scott, but more work can be done heading into next year. 

Dedniel Nunez: B 

For a guy who shined in the 2024 playoff run, Nunez displayed that same potential in September. Initially, he started off rocky, but began to look like that same late-inning reliever with a strong fastball and nasty slider. He can be another piece of the puzzle in next year’s bullpen. 

Jonah Tong: B- 

Jonah Tong dealt with a year-long struggle in Triple-A, where he tried out new pitches and attempted to rediscover the arm slot that allowed him to be the best minor league pitcher in 2025. His September starts were a small sample size, but he showed confidence, poise, and some upside. Tong should be nothing more than a depth piece who will likely garner some starts if a pitcher gets injured. 

Jefry Yan: C 

Aside from his jumping and sliding celebrations, Yan was exactly as advertised: a project. He possesses elite velocity and strikeout potential, but his command is a work in progress, as he walks too many batters. Yan shouldn’t be the first option in the future, but if he can harness his control, he can be back in Queens sooner rather than later. 

Devin Williams: C-

Williams showed some flashes of his dominant Brewers days, but his inability to pitch 1-2-3 innings with no traffic killed him at different points. In addition, he went on the injured list with a right shoulder strain and arm fatigue, which resulted in him losing his closer job to Kodai Senga. 

Kodai Senga: C- 

Senga was one of the worst pitchers in the first half, but the team might have found something with him as a reliever. He recorded 8 saves with a 3.78 ERA and 22 strikeouts, which can give the team hope for next season. Should he be closing games in 2027? Absolutely not, but he can provide something as a member of the Mets’ bullpen in his final season under contract. 

Sean Manaea: D+ 

Sean Manaea dealt with a season that was filled with more lows than highs. After being unable to regain his velocity for the first 2 months, Manaea was strong in June/July, as he provided length and looked more like the ace that led the 2024 Mets to the playoffs. However, it became a noticeable trend that he couldn’t get batters out the third time around the order, which resulted in him getting shelled past the fifth inning. Overall, he finished with an underwhelming 4.78 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and a .262 OBA. 

Tobias Myers: D 

The good news for the Mets is that they have control of Tobias Myers until 2029. The bad news is that he severely struggled in 2026. He gave up too much hard contact and too many baserunners, which ballooned his ERA over 5. 

Andy Green: B+ 

Green’s overall record (40-41, .494 winning percentage) is nothing special, but his relationships with the players and the team’s effort level throughout the summer earned him the full-time job as Mets manager for the foreseeable future. His ability to challenge and push his rookies is a great quality, and it is recognized that the leaders of this team (Lindor, Soto, Semien, Bichette) enjoy his presence. 

David Stearns: F 

This is the only grade that seems right for David Stearns. He took a massive and risky gamble in the 2025 offseason by replacing the team’s core with new players, and it backfired. Polanco, Bichette, Peralta, Semien, and Myers all underperformed, while the starting rotation wasn’t good enough until the summer. The failures of this team don’t directly fall on him, but letting Pete Alonso go will always be a controversial decision in the eyes of Mets fans. Heading into 2027, this is a make-or-break offseason for David Stearns.