In 2025, the Mets’ payroll became a punchline for a different reason.
For much of the last decade, the Mets’ amorphous but always restricted budget drew the justified ire of their fan base. Every offseason, the most important question facing New York was how much the Wilpon ownership would permit it to spend — and an answer didn’t come, even to the front office, until late in the winter. This season, the Mets’ payroll was cited often — again justifiably — in contextualizing their fall to an 83-79 record outside of the postseason.
Three key questions facing the Mets this offseason
The Mets thought they were moving in the right direction, toward another postseason berth. Instead, they’re back at square one.
Thus, this story, assessing where the payroll stands heading into a long offseason, is running 26 days earlier than it did last year.
It’s a sign of those changed times that president David Stearns wasn’t asked a single question about the Mets’ budget during his season-ending news conference Monday. The assumption is that the Mets will continue to spend, especially following a disappointing season that included a record attendance at Citi Field.
This is Part 1 in a two-part story. In Part 2, I’ll look at what kind of team the Mets can build at different price points.
What option decisions must be made within five days of the World Series ending?
Pete Alonso
Alonso’s contract was designed for him to opt out of the one year and $24 million remaining on it for 2026, and he will do so. When Alonso opts out, the Mets will have to add $3 million toward their 2026 luxury tax payroll. (Because he signed a two-year, $54 million deal, Alonso counted only $27 million toward the tax in 2025 while making $30 million. The Mets have to make up that difference next year, regardless of whether Alonso is still with the team.)
Edwin Díaz
Díaz has two years and $38 million on his deal. If he sticks with it, the Mets would also have a club option for 2028 that would make it a three-year deal for $54.25 million. Díaz was the best closer in the National League this season, and Josh Hader broke his record for total present-day value when he signed for five years and $95 million with the Astros. Díaz is thus likely to opt out, though it’s possible he re-ups with the Mets before officially hitting free agency, like he did after 2022.
“If I decide to opt out, I would love to come back,” he said Sunday.
Frankie Montas
Montas is slated to miss all of next season, and so his $17 million player option is easier than any decision in those annoying Capital One ads.
A.J. Minter
Coming off surgery, Minter will almost certainly exercise the $11 million player option for 2026. The left-hander expects to have close to a normal offseason.
What about the qualifying offer?
The qualifying offer will be worth approximately $22 million (according to the New York Post). Any player extended a qualifying offer will have 15 days to decide whether to accept it. As a repeat luxury-tax payer, the Mets would receive a draft pick between the fourth and fifth rounds should any of their free agents reject a qualifying offer and sign elsewhere for at least $50 million.
Pete Alonso
Alonso received the qualifying offer last winter and thus cannot be tagged with it again.
Edwin Díaz
If he opts out and doesn’t swiftly re-sign, the Mets would extend the qualifying offer to Díaz. He signed too quickly to receive one after 2022.
Ryan Helsley
Gregory Soto
Tyler Rogers
Cedric Mullins
All four of the Mets’ trade deadline acquisitions are ineligible to receive the QO because they were traded in-season.
Starling Marte
Jesse Winker
Ryne Stanek
Griffin Canning
No.
Where do the Mets stand?
The Mets have about half as much money coming off the books this year as last year.
Mets’ departing salaries
Pete Alonso
$30.000
$27.000
Starling Marte
$19.500
$19.500
Edwin Díaz
$17.500
$18.640
Jesse Winker
$7.500
$7.500
Ryne Stanek
$4.500
$4.500
Griffin Canning
$4.250
$4.250
Paul Blackburn
$3.140
$3.140
Cedric Mullins
$2.768
$2.768
Ryan Helsley
$2.645
$2.645
Gregory Soto
$1.870
$1.870
Tyler Rogers
$1.694
$1.694
Total
$95.367
$93.507
*For players acquired at the trade deadline or released in-season, this counts only the money they earned with the Mets.
Unlike last year, there’s no dead money (i.e. money owed to players on other teams) coming off the books.
The Mets already have close to $200 million guaranteed to the 2026 payroll, and that’s before we get to their arbitration raises.
Mets’ committed money in 2026
Juan Soto
$46.000
$51.000
Francisco Lindor
$32.000
$34.100
Sean Manaea
$25.000
$22.010
Brandon Nimmo
$20.250
$20.250
Frankie Montas
$17.000
$17.000
Kodai Senga
$14.000
$15.000
Clay Holmes
$13.000
$12.667
Jeff McNeil
$15.750
$12.500
A.J. Minter
$11.000
$11.000
Subtotal
$194.000
$195.527
The Mets have a medium-sized arbitration class this offseason, headlined by David Peterson. Usually, I obtain arbitration estimates from MLB Trade Rumors, but since those are not yet available this season, you’re stuck with my own, cruder estimates.
Mets’ arbitration estimates
David Peterson
$7.400
$7.400
Tyrone Taylor
$4.200
$4.200
Tylor Megill
$2.900
$2.900
Francisco Alvarez
$2.800
$2.800
Luis Torrens
$2.000
$2.000
Nick Madrigal
$1.350
$1.350
Huascar Brazobán
$1.050
$1.050
Reed Garrett
$0.950
$0.950
Austin Warren
$0.800
$0.800
Subtotal
$23.450
$23.450
Total
$217.450
$218.977
Of this group, Madrigal (who missed the whole season) and Warren (who bounced between Triple A and the majors on seven occasions to spend all of 23 days with the big club) are non-tender candidates. The Mets could also coldly move on from Megill or Garrett, given their elbow injuries.
If we trim Madrigal and Warren off the list, we get a payroll of $215.3 million, with $216.8 million toward the luxury tax, for 16 players — three of whom are likely to miss the 2026 season.
The Mets’ pre-arbitration players of note include:
Brett Baty
Mark Vientos
Ronny Mauricio
Christian Scott
Luisangel Acuña
Nolan McLean
Brandon Sproat
Jonah Tong
Max Kranick
The minimum salary for those players will be $780,000 in 2026.
Can the Mets trim payroll heading into 2026?
Increasingly, this question is a relic of the past, with little relevance to the present. It should not be a primary driver of anything the Mets do this winter.
However, two names that stick out as potential trade candidates are Kodai Senga and Jeff McNeil. Senga moves from a full no-trade clause to a limited one this winter, in which he can block trades to 10 franchises. He’s owed $28 million over the next two seasons, with a conditional club option for $15 million in 2028 should he suffer an elbow injury. Given the going rate for back-end starters in free agency, a Senga trade should be able to bring something of value back.
McNeil is owed $15.75 million this upcoming season, with a club option for $15.75 million again in 2027 (with a $2 million buyout). Here, the structure of his contract hurts his trade value. Whereas McNeil only counts $12.5 million against the Mets for luxury-tax purposes, he’d count $15.75 million for any acquiring team. Coming off a solid bounce-back season, McNeil should have some value on the trade market, but most of it will be in getting out from under the contract.
What are the Mets’ commitments beyond 2026?
Mets’ commitments beyond 2026
Juan Soto
$673.000
2039
Francisco Lindor
$160.000
2031
Brandon Nimmo
$81.000
2030
Sean Manaea
$25.000
2027
Kodai Senga
$14.000
2027
Mets’ annual commitments beyond 2026
2027
$139.250
$142.360
2028
$98.250
$105.350
2029
$98.250
$105.350
2030
$98.250
$105.350
2031
$78.000
$85.100
2032
$46.000
$51.000
2033
$46.000
$51.000
2034
$46.000
$51.000
2035
$46.000
$51.000
2036
$46.000
$51.000
2037
$46.000
$51.000
2038
$46.000
$51.000
2039
$46.000
$51.000
