No matter how bad matters got last season — and the final 3 ¹/₂ months were a slow-motion car crash — Carlos Mendoza enjoyed the certainty of writing four names atop his lineup day after relentless day.
It was the headache-free portion of what was a 14-week migraine — Francisco Lindor at short, Juan Soto in right, Pete Alonso at first and Brandon Nimmo in left. Death, taxes and those four on the field. From 2022-25, Alonso, Lindor and Soto ranked 2-3-4 in games played and Nimmo was 16th — and each played at least 155 games last season.
Nimmo was traded and Alonso exited in free agency, but at least the Mets still had two pillars left, twin tentpoles for David Stearns to refurbish a roster around and Mendoza to create a daily lineup.
Except, no.
