Washington Nationals and New York Mets 2026 season wrap-up

The Washington Nationals concluded their 2026 MLB season with a 6-4 victory over the New York Mets in their final game. Andrés Chaparro led the Nationals with two home runs, helping the team finish with a 77-85 record. This marked the seventh consecutive losing season under manager Blake Butera. The Mets finished the season with a 74-88 record, their worst performance since 2017, and ended last in the National League East. This represents the franchise’s first bottom-of-the-division finish since 2003. During the season finale, Francisco Lindor hit his 300th career home run, becoming the only primary shortstop in MLB history to record 300 home runs and 200 stolen bases. Ronny Mauricio also homered in the finale. Following the season, the Mets appointed Andy Green to a three-year contract through 2029. In a season-ending press conference, Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns acknowledged the disappointment of missing the playoffs for a second consecutive year, noting that certain organizational decisions created an “uncapped downside scenario” due to roster inflexibility. Individual performances for the Mets included rookie Carson Benge, who set a franchise record for rookie hits with 168 and became the first Mets rookie to record 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases. Rookie pitcher Nolan McLean also emerged as a strong Rookie of the Year candidate, maintaining a streak of making every scheduled start despite rotation injuries. The Mets' offseason focus will involve addressing the starting rotation and bullpen, while also managing uncertainty at third base regarding Bo Bichette’s opt-out clause. To stabilize leadership, the team added Derek Falvey to the front office. Following the season finale, the Nationals held their 11th annual media awards. Outfielder James Wood was named Player of the Year for the second consecutive year, having hit over 30 home runs and stolen over 20 bases.