Mets analyst details expectations for Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto after high-profile departures

Earning an All-Star selection each, Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor were two of the New York Mets' most influential players in 2025.

After team cornerstones such as Brandon Nimmo, Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz parted ways with the organization over the winter, the Mets will probably rely even more on Soto and Lindor to steer the ship to success in 2026.

On Tuesday, analyst and content creator Tyler Ward had his say about the roles he sees both superstars playing for the team in 2026.

"If we honestly look at (Francisco) Lindor and (Juan) Soto, and their roles for the club, I think both (being the main man for the team) can be true to a degree," Ward said (Timestamp: 3:35). "Who do I think is going to have most pressure on their shoulders entering next season? How can it not be Juan Soto, as he's the largest contract in North American sports history? Now, Lindor is the better overall player. He's been more that vocal leader. So I think one can rightfully say that the club is going to try to ride through him. "Now that Brandon Nimmo is gone, and all these long-tenure Mets are gone, Lindor has quickly become one of the longest tenure Mets in the organization. I think Juan Soto probably has more pressure on his shoulders. Saying that loosely, because I don't think he's going to have an issue with said pressure, after having a dominant first year with the Mets. Francisco Lindor, he's been our unofficial captain for a number of years. One has to wonder, will he officially get that label now, or will he just continue to be one of the vocal leaders for this organization."

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After a disastrous end to 2025, Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor will be keen to guide the Mets to success in 2026

Occupying top spot in the NL East after a strong first half, Mets fans were dreaming of winning their division for the first time since 2015. However, as the team struggled for consistency in the second half of the season, those dreams gradually faded away.

Juan Soto - Source: Getty

Adding salt to the wound, the Mets catastrophically missed out on the playoffs altogether, dropping out of the top three in the NL wild-card standings after losing a must-win game against the Miami Marlins on the final day of the regular season.

Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto will be desperate to ensure the Mets do much better in 2026.

Edited by Raghav Mehta