The New York Mets non-tendered three players on Friday, but they also agreed to terms with center fielder Tyrone Taylor. We also delve into Mark Vientos saying he is putting in the work to improve at defense, and more!
Mets opt not to tender contracts to three players, agree to terms with reserve outfielder
The Mets didn’t make too much noise on Friday, but their roster decisions revealed plenty about how they’re shaping the early stages of their 2026 plan. By non-tendering pitchers Jose Castillo, Danny Young, and Max Kranick, the front office signaled just how tightly it intends to guard roster flexibility this winter. The injured arms — Young and Kranick — were long-shot bets with uncertain timelines, while Castillo, the only healthy option, became a casualty of a 40-man crunch as the Mets prepare for incoming additions.
In contrast, they kept other rehabbing pitchers such as Tylor Megill and Reed Garrett, a clue that the club sees more meaningful upside in that tier. And by agreeing to a one-year, $3.8 million deal with Tyrone Taylor, they preserved outfield depth without overcommitting.
None of these moves change the shape of the offseason on their own, but together they show a team trimming around the edges and clearing room for bigger decisions still to come.
Mets infielder says he is working ‘five days a week’ to improve defense
Mark Vientos has already shown the Mets how dramatically he can alter a lineup, flashing star-level power in 2024 before settling into a more modest offensive year in 2025. The bat still holds real upside, but the story now revolves around whether the glove can catch up.
Defensive metrics at third base have been glaringly poor, and even his first-base sample hasn’t offered reassurance. That’s why this offseason has become a crash course in rebuilding his defensive foundation. Under the guidance of bench coach and infield specialist Kai Correa, Vientos has taken on a five-day-a-week program to see if he can improve things like his footwork, positioning, and lateral movement — the traits that will determine whether he can stay on the dirt at all.
The Mets don’t need him to be elite defensively; they just need his glove to stop limiting his playing opportunities. If Vientos lands somewhere between his 2024 ceiling and 2025 floor while becoming merely playable at multiple positions, he transforms from an interesting bat into a far more reliable roster piece.
MLB insider details Mets’ 1 and 1A priorities in the offseason
Beneath the calm of Citi Field in mid-November, the Mets are already operating with urgency after an uneven season that left them short of expectations. The coaching staff has been reshaped, and roster changes are coming next as the front office looks to add athleticism, pitching depth, bullpen stability, and a real center fielder — all while redefining the team’s identity.
At the top of the priority list sit Edwin Diaz and Pete Alonso, labeled internally as “1 and 1A.” Diaz’s dominance makes him the anchor of any rebuilt bullpen, while Alonso’s elite bat remains vital even as questions linger about committing to him into his mid-30s. The Mets want both back, but they also need clarity before moving aggressively elsewhere in the market.
How these negotiations unfold will dictate the rest of the offseason. Once the Mets know whether Diaz and Alonso are part of the 2026 core, they can begin constructing the roster around them.
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