The New York Mets had high aspirations entering the 2026 season, hoping a revamped roster would reverse the team's fortunes after a massively disappointing 2025 season. Instead, the Mets stooped to a new low, firing Carlos Mendoza midseason and finishing with the sixth-worst record in baseball.

The pressure is now on David Stearns as he enters his most critical offseason yet. He'll have to make several moves, knowing anything less than a 2027 postseason berth would be considered a failure. These are the five moves Stearns can make to save the Mets and bring them back to contention.

5. Promote Jefferson Rojas

Rojas has just six games of professional experience above Double-A, but the Mets' top prospect would add a much-needed spark to the roster. Acquired at the trade deadline for Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor, Rojas finished the 2026 season with 27 home runs, 21 steals, and an .843 OPS.

Promoting Rojas straight out of spring training would solve the team's glaring need at second base, or potentially third base if Bo Bichette opts out of his contract. The Mets' infield features a lot of uncertainty outside of Francisco Lindor, and Rojas would provide instant stability at one of the positions.

Even if Rojas doesn't perform right away, that's perfectly fine. Look how Carson Benge began the 2026 season straight out of spring training, and look how he finished. If Rojas can have even a similar impact to what Benge did in 2026, the Mets will be a much better team in 2027 and beyond.

4. Sign Jason Adam

The Mets bullpen, as it stands, desperately needs experience and reliability. Jason Adam provides both, with a career 2.68 ERA and several full seasons with a sub-2.00 ERA.

The 35-year-old reliever has never been a closer. He has just 26 saves across his nine-year career. Signing Adam would preserve Devin Williams' hold on the closer role while also providing insurance in case Williams is ineffective or injured.

There are so many things to like about Adam, from his devastating slider to his ability to limit walks and home runs and to get batters to chase out of the zone. Bullpen reliability and stability are really hard to come by, and Adam would be a major piece in accomplishing that for the Mets.

3. Sign Clay Holmes

Clay Holmes was fantastic for a year and a half with the Mets before landing with the Cubs at last year's trade deadline. There's no doubt the Mets valued Holmes and would have held onto him if there had been a chance to compete last year. But luckily, there's a chance to bring Holmes back to Queens next season.

The 33-year-old could become a free agent if he opts out of the final year of his three-year, $38 million deal he signed in Dec. 2024.

If that happens, the Mets should be all over signing him. Before the trade deadline, rumors floated around that the Mets were even considering signing Holmes to an extension rather than trading him. That didn't happen, but the Mets should feel happy to come away with Rojas and would be ecstatic if they could get back what they gave up for him.

Holmes had a 3.53 ERA in 2025, his first full year as a starter, before recording a 2.39 ERA in nine starts with the Mets in 2026. He didn't experience the same success with the Cubs, but it can be hard adjusting to a new team and environment midseason.

All indications are that Holmes loved his time with the Mets. The staff and players know him well. He would be an extremely welcome addition to a rotation that needs experience.

2. Trade for Alec Burleson

The Mets might be cautious about making a splash trade this offseason after the Freddy Peralta acquisition didn't go as planned. But if they decide to explore different trades, they should seriously consider Alec Burleson of the Cardinals.

Burleson, soon to be 28, is under contract for two more years, so he wouldn't come cheap. But he would provide the Mets with offensive production they desperately need at first base. Burleson had a career year in 2026, leading the majors with 116 RBIs and recording a career-high 26 home runs. He ended the year with an .816 OPS.

Burleson's numbers have improved every single season, and his OPS has eclipsed .800 two years in a row. Burleson has flaws, such as his chase rate and speed. However, Burleson is an offensive weapon who also offers some pretty good defense at first base. Imagine an infield of Burleson-Rojas-Lindor-Bichette? That'll play.

1. Sign Tarik Skubal

This might be the obvious statement of the century, but the Mets should do whatever they can to sign Tarik Skubal. The Mets' young starting rotation trio (Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, Zac Thornton) would benefit tremendously from arguably baseball's best pitcher. Add Clay Holmes to the mix, and this is one of the best rotations in baseball.

Every year the playoffs come around, and we're reminded just how valuable good starting pitching is. Skubal has a 2.13 ERA in eight career postseason appearances, as well as a 2.42 ERA in the last three regular seasons combined. At his best, he's overpowering.

Signing Skubal would obviously mean spending a ton of money and convincing him to join the Mets instead of staying with the Dodgers. It might not be easy, but David Stearns simply has to make the Mets better.

With Skubal in the mix, the Mets wouldn't simply have postseason aspirations. They would have World Series aspirations.