Despite opening day magic, Mets fans shouldn't go all in on Carson Benge yet

The New York Mets were able to use their bats against one of the best pitchers in baseball, Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes, and secure an 11-7 victory. This was large in part due to the historic debut of outfielder Carson Benge, whom many Mets fans have been patiently awaiting. 

After being named to the opening day roster earlier this week, Benge got his first major league hit. And boy, did he make it count, as it was a right-center-field shot into the Pirates' bullpen. Talk about making your presence known to the Mets faithful. 

But these fans should not go manic just yet for this young, blossoming star, as a full season lies ahead. Saying he is a superstar now is a serious overreaction, as described in Bleacer Report’s big list of opening day overreactions across Major League Baseball. 

Superstar, in the making

Benge has some serious upside, and that was evident in his first career game. He launched that homerun, but that is a rarity for him. In 2025, across three levels of Minor League competition, he mustered only 15 home runs in 116 games. He could turn it up a notch in “The Show”, but that is a big if. 

Certainly not a big enough investment for the Mets to rely on, as this season is poised to be one that features a return to the playoffs. Benge has some inevitable growing pains to sort through, and when that comes, brace for disappointment.