“Might End Up Being the Best”: Mets’ 2026 Disaster Doesn’t Stop a Surprising Prediction About Their Future

Despite the New York Mets finishing last in the NL East with a 74-88 record, SNY analyst Ron Darling offered high praise for the organization's young pitching rotation. Speaking on The Mets Pod, Darling predicted that young arms Jonah Tong, Zach Thornton, and Nolan McLean could eventually surpass previous Mets pitching greats, including the 2010s core of Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom.

Darling highlighted McLean, Thornton, and Tong as players with major upside, though President of Baseball Operations David Stearns is still expected to seek established pitching in the offseason. Meanwhile, the Mets received positive roster news as infielder Bo Bichette chose to exercise his $42 million player option to stay with the club for the 2027 season.