Despite a Record-Breaking Payroll, the New York Mets Fell Apart in a Stunning September Meltdown

The New York Mets, who once stood as the best team in baseball with a 45-24 record in June, have become the latest chapter in the franchise’s long history of September collapses. Despite a staggering $340 million payroll—one of the highest in Major League Baseball—the team imploded in the final stretch of the 2025 season, missing the playoffs and falling short of billionaire owner Steve Cohen’s five-year championship promise.

Cohen, who purchased the team in 2020, invested heavily in transforming the Mets into a financial powerhouse, most notably with a record $765 million contract for free-agent superstar Juan Soto. That move pushed the team’s payroll to around $340 million, the highest in the league. However, the players failed to deliver on the field. The Mets went 38-55 over the final three and a half months of the season, one of the worst performances in the National League. Their inability to secure a playoff spot was a crushing blow to fans and a stark contrast to the high expectations set by the team’s massive financial commitment.

The collapse was as dramatic as it was painful. On the final day of the regular season, the Mets needed a win against the Miami Marlins and a loss by the Cincinnati Reds to make the playoffs. While the Reds secured their spot with a 4-2 record against the Mets, the Mets fell short, losing 4-0 to the Marlins. The result was a devastating end to a season that had once seemed destined for greatness.

The team’s struggles were rooted in its pitching staff, which, despite the enormous payroll, was built with a mix of fringe-market players and unproven rookies. While the offense, led by Soto, Francisco Lindor, and Pete Alonso, performed well—combining for 112 home runs, 324 runs scored, and 317 RBIs—the lack of reliable pitching proved to be the fatal flaw. The Mets ranked 26th in ERA from mid-June onward, and by the end of the season, they were relying on three rookie starters who had been called up within the past six weeks.

The Mets’ front office, led by president of baseball operations David Stearns, had been praised for its strategic moves, but this season exposed gaps in their decision-making. The team’s failure to secure high-impact pitchers, despite the financial flexibility, was a critical oversight.

As the Mets’ season comes to a close, the question remains: Could a team with such financial power have been so wrong about its roster decisions? For now, the answer is clear—this year’s Mets were a $340 million disaster.

The loss of the playoff spot also brought a wave of disappointment from players and fans alike. Shortstop Francisco Lindor described the failure as “painful,” while first baseman Pete Alonso called it “straight-up disappointing.” For a franchise that has long been synonymous with heartbreak, this might be the most painful debacle yet.