Grading the 2026 Mets: What letter did David Stearns receive?

If this were college, the Mets would have flunked out by the second semester.

Despite some encouraging bright spots, this past season was mostly one to forget — marked by high expectations that were quashed weeks before the trade deadline fire sale that all but officially proclaimed them the worst team money can buy.

They took up residence in the NL East basement in late April and earned their squatter’s rights, finishing in last place for the first time since 2003. Not everyone, though, failed at their assignments.

Here are the final grades:

Andy Green: Green took over for Carlos Mendoza in late June and quickly proved why he deserved to be more than just a lame-duck interim manager. The former vice president of player development was key in shaping the Mets’ young talent, and he helped give a hopeless team direction and even some purpose. Time will tell if he can perform when there are real stakes in play, but he certainly earned the right to try. Grade: A

David Stearns: It was a nightmare season for Stearns, whose many high-risk gambits failed to pay off, and who also made the highly unpopular choice to not pursue Pete Alonso in free agency. Jorge Polanco, Luis Robert Jr., and Freddy Peralta were all disastrous choices. What saves him from an ‘F’? He aggressively promoted young talent, was able to net a decent haul during his trade-deadline fire sale, and he saw Green’s managerial potential. Grade: D-

The Players:

Francisco Alvarez, C: His defense was a tick better than last year, but his blocking continues to be an issue, and he hasn’t been able to take the next step in becoming the star the Mets once hoped he would be. Grade: C-

Brett Baty, Util.: Baty was versatile enough to be useful, but only seems to heat up at the tail end of the season. Grade: C

Carson Benge, OF: Benge went from hitting below .200 in the first month of the season to being on the short list for NL Rookie of the Year, thanks to his well-rounded play. Grade: A+

Bo Bichette, 3B: Bichette started off miserably and acclimated nicely . . . except it was too late to matter, and part of the reason the Mets fell into an insurmountable hole. Still, he was a solid veteran presence who adapted to a new position well, mentored young players, played in all but two games, and led the team with 78 RBIs. Grade: C

A.J. Ewing, OF: A speedy defensive dynamo who was called up in May, Ewing navigated a miserable August at the plate (he hit .171) to hit .309 in September. Grade: B+

Nate Lavender, RP: The lefty made his long-awaited major league debut after overcoming Tommy John surgery and immediately anchored a bullpen that had been gutted at the deadline. He allowed earned runs in two of his 21 appearances. Grade: A

Francisco Lindor, SS: Lindor had the worst season of his career, was hampered by injury, and committed uncharacteristic mental lapses in the field. He’s still one of the best shortstops in baseball and hit his 300th career homer. Grade: D+

Sean Manaea, SP: It was a frustrating, mercurial year for the lefty, who battled velocity dips and an early-season relegation to the bullpen before re-earning his spot in the rotation. He showed flashes of dominance in the second half but sputtered in September, though he did have a big hand in mentoring the team’s young pitchers. Grade: D+

Ronny Mauricio, Util.: He needs regular playing time and hasn’t earned it, but when Mauricio really gets a hold of one, you can see why the Mets so badly want him to put it together. He was doomed by a sky-high chase rate and hampered by the broken thumb he sustained in May. Grade: D

Nolan McLean, SP: After a rocky start, McLean dazzled, and all but proved he has what it takes to be a very good No. 2 — if not an ace. Grade: A-

Tobias Myers, RP: Myers started strong, wilted, was demoted to Triple-A, and came back in September to OK, if inconclusive results. His 5.53 ERA still doesn’t qualify him as the most disastrous part of the Peralta trade. Grade: D-

Freddy Peralta, SP: Peralta’s tenure as a Met was short-lived and little more than a nightmare, as the affable righty struggled with his mechanics, inconsistency, and short starts. He was then traded to the Rays, who managed to near-magically fix him. The bright spot? Maybe the Mets will figure out what the Rays did that they couldn’t. Grade: D-

Jorge Polanco, 1B/DH: Give Polanco this: He did fight incredibly hard to get back on the field, and to learn first base, but didn’t seem to manage either. He was injury-plagued and, even when he did play, the Mets weren’t comfortable using him at first base. Grade: F

Luis Robert Jr., OF: He couldn’t stay healthy, and the only saving grace is that his absence paved the way for Ewing’s promotion. Grade: F

Marcus Semien, 2B: He hit .215 and appears to have lost a step at second base, despite being signed for his defense. He was a stable veteran presence, but that wasn’t enough to compensate for everything else. Grade: D

Christian Scott, SP: The big righthander pitched well in his first season back from Tommy John surgery, and looks to be primed for a spot in the rotation next year. He showed flashes of dominance and the potential to strike out a ton of batters, and responded to adversity well, but was sometimes prone to big mistakes. Grade: B+

Kodai Senga, P: Senga was terrible as a starter and shockingly good as a closer. He wants to get back into the rotation, but appears better suited to this new role. Grade: C

Juan Soto, OF: Soto battled two different calf injuries but remained an offensive force. He led the team with 27 homers and a 154 OPS+, but his presence was sorely missed during his 51-game absence. Grade: B

Jonah Tong, SP: After a tough year in the minors, Tong showed promise with his expanded repertoire but needs more development. Grade: C+

Luis Torrens, C: Torrens was the ideal backup catcher. Sure, his offense isn’t flashy, but he remained a defensive wizard, and someone pitchers clearly enjoyed throwing to. He also hit .325 in August. Grade: A-

Zac Thornton, SP: The prospect few saw coming. The lanky, soft-tossing lefty showed grit and pitching ability, and never backed down from a challenge — something that makes him a strong candidate as a back-end starter next year. Grade: A

Mark Vientos, INF: Vientos continued to not be able to take the next step the Mets have been searching for since his strong 2024 campaign. His poor defense, lack of speed, and .212 average make him a non-tender candidate, though it would be unsurprising if he flourishes elsewhere. Grade: F

Devin Williams, RP: Williams had another rocky season and was often out-pitched by the traded Luke Weaver, who likely would have taken over the closer’s role if the Mets had anything to play for. Though he’s penciled in as next year’s closer, it’s possible Senga creeps into the picture. Grade: D

Jared Young, 1B: The last man to make the roster out of spring training, Young had an eye-opening season, hitting .266. Necessity dictated he become the primary first baseman, and you can certainly see a world where he’s platooned there next year. Grade: A-

By Laura Albanese

laura.albanese@newsday.com@AlbaneseLaura

Laura Albanese is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. She's been covering MLB since 2014 after starting at Newsday as an intern seven years earlier.