Former Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes joined the New York Mets in the offseason, and thinks they can have a strong season in 2026.
The Mets are coming off of a disappointing season in which they missed the playoffs entirely after some big ticket signings. They signed Barnes to a minor league deal during the offseason, and the veteran is still with their big league camp.
So far, Barnes has a .889 OPS in spring training with a .313/.389/.500 stat line.
“This is a really good group,” Barnes said. “They’ve got a chance to do something special.
“You never know how a team is gonna come together, but the talent is here. This roster is as talented as any team in the major leagues. It just has to come together organically.”
New York may have dropped 12.5 games in the back half of the 2025 season to miss out on October baseball, but the talent on their team is undeniable heading into 2026. Although they lost All-Stars Edwin Diaz and Pete Alonso in free agency, they still have Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor as well as new arrivals Devin Williams, Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette.
FanGraphs projects the Mets to win nearly 90 games this season, and has them with the highest odds to win the NL East with a 37.2% chance. If their stars can keep themselves together this season, they have a chance to make some noise in the Dodger-dominated National League.
When Did Austin Barnes Play for the Dodgers?
Barnes has only played for the Dodgers in MLB, making his debut in 2015 and playing with the team until 2025, when LA released him towards the beginning of the season.
The 36-year-old played 612 games with the Dodgers across 11 years, hitting 35 homers and driving in 162 runs during that time. He slashed .223/.322/.338 in blue and won two World Series with LA.
The San Francisco Giants signed Barnes after the Dodgers released him last may, but released him in August. 2025 without giving him another shot in the big leagues.
New York has signed several former Dodgers this offseason, bringing in the likes of Craig Kimbrel and Ben Rortvedt as well as Barnes, and could give any of the three a shot as they aim for the postseason in 2026.
What do you think of Austin Barnes’ comments about the Mets?
