The 2026 season hasn’t gone the way that anyone with the New York Mets would have hoped or expected, and as of right now, it appears they’ll be a very active seller ahead of the upcoming trade deadline.
Because of their struggles, the Mets are currently sitting at 42-58, good for last place in the National League East and 10 games out of the final Wild Card spot in the NL, meaning this team would all but need a miracle to get themselves into a post-season spot in 2026. While they’ll be sellers, that doesn’t mean the Mets are going to give up completely, and now, the return of a star outfielder will give them a major boost as they look to turn things around.
Luis Robert Jr. set to be Activated by the Mets
GettyLuis Robert Jr. of the New York Mets.
Over the winter, the New York Mets gave up Luisangel Acuna and a prospect to land Luis Robert Jr. from the Chicago White Sox, a player that had showcased MVP caliber potential early in his career. However, after posting a WAR of 5.4 back in 2023 with the White Sox, Robert Jr. failed to replicate that level of production, with the Mets banking on a potential bounce back in the middle of a lineup that includes Bo Bichette, Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto.
Unfortunately, we’ve been unable to see if that expectation would come true as he has spent the past three months on the Injured List, but early in the second half, it appears he’s set to return. According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, Robert Jr. is set to be activated on Monday, with the Mets hoping that his return along with the break over this past week could be catalysts for this team to turn things around after a horror first-half of the season.
Before the injury, Robert was showing potential, hitting .224 with two home runs and eight RBI through 24 games played, and now, the hope is that he can hit the ground running upon return.
Can the Mets Turn it Around in the Second Half?
There’s still a long way to go in 2026, and while many have ruled the Mets out, with the talent that they’ve got in this lineup, if they can stay healthy and consistent with the return of Robert Jr., there’s still a way in which this team can get back into the Wild Card race in the National League, but plenty will need to go their way to make that a reality.
Ultimately, if Robert Jr. can be the player we saw in 2022 and 2023 with the White Sox, he could certainly be a difference maker for the Mets, but if he keeps up the play from 2024 and 2025, this could be a very inconsequential move that sees New York continue to struggle as they look to figure out how things have gone wrong and if they can turn it around completely over the next two months.
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