ESPN’s Buster Olney named the New York Mets as potentially the biggest threat to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2026.
The Mets have had a busy offseason — overhauling nearly their entire core — and added plenty of All-Star talent to replace Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz, who left this winter.
“Maybe more than any other high-dollar contender, the possible outcomes for the Mets cover a wide range,” Olney wrote. “If Bo Bichette hits, if Luis Robert stays on the field, if Freddy Peralta makes 30-plus starts, if the corner infielders adapt to their new positions, if Nolan McLean continues to pitch as well as he did at the end of last year … if all of that goes well, this could be a really, really good team, and perhaps the greatest threat to the Dodgers’ championship reign.”
In addition to the players Olney listed, the Mets brought in All-Stars Marcus Semien and Devin Williams as well as Jorge Polanco to further make up for their losses.
New York missed out on the postseason entirely last season due to a second-half collapse in 2025, finishing 13 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in their division and losing out on a Wild Card spot due to a tiebreaker.
Despite their shortcomings, they could very well challenge the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East if they can perform to their expectations in 2026.
How Did the Dodgers Do Against the Mets in 2025?
The Mets had the Dodgers’ number in 2025, winning four of the seven matchups between the teams during the regular season.
On top of that, the Mets outscored the Dodgers by seven runs across their games.
The story was much different in 2024, with the Dodgers taking four of six games in the season series. They also dispatched the Mets in six games in that season’s NLCS.
Despite their underperformance against the Mets in 2025, the Dodgers don’t have any reason to shy away from their competition.
L.A. poached the best reliever available in free agency from the Mets, signing Diaz to a three-year deal, and have also improved plenty since the end of 2025, so keeping up with the Mets shouldn’t be a big obstacle for the reigning World Series champions.
Who are you most looking forward to compete against in the 2026 season?
