Mets relievers Drew Smith, Adbert Alzolay have all eyes on 2026 already

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — At the very beginning of a new season, Mets relievers Drew Smith and Adbert Alzolay already subscribe to that old autumnal maxim: Wait till next year.

They are lingering in the background of Mets spring training, pitchers preaching patience because that is their only choice. They show up, they work out/get treatment, they play catch, they hang around for chit-chat, they go home.

Smith, a longtime Mets mainstay, and Alzolay, recently the Cubs’ closer, are under contract for 2025 but are highly unlikely to see the mound, having had Tommy John surgery last summer. Mired in the middle of a long rehabilitation process, their work now is almost entirely about 2026.

But if they heal the way the Mets hope, Smith, Alzolay and their creative contracts may well represent one-quarter of the team’s bullpen next season.

“We,” Alzolay said, “are going to spend a lot of time together down here.”

That is why Smith introduced himself to Alzolay almost immediately upon re-signing with the Mets and reporting to camp last week. They are strangers and kindred spirits.

“This offseason was one of the tougher offseasons I’ve had, just knowing that when I go to spring training, nothing really changes for me,” Smith said. “You get back with the guys and it feels like every other year. But you know it’s going to be a little different. Focusing on next year is the big goal.”

Smith has a one-year big-league contract for $1 million. The Mets hold a 2026 option that would pay him $2 million, which seems like a safe bet to be exercised, as long as his rehab progresses smoothly.

Alzolay, meanwhile, is on a two-year minor-league contract signed last month. That could be a coup for the Mets, who face little risk in that arrangement but might have a high-leverage reliever on the cheap come next season.

At least eight teams reached out to Alzolay, he said, once he became a free agent when the Cubs cut him in November.

“The Mets were the ones who showed the most interest,” Alzolay said. “They said they believe I can help the team late in the game. Whenever I’m healthy, they know what I’m capable of doing.”

Alzolay showed as much as recently as 2023, when he had a 2.67 ERA and 22 saves for the Cubs. Upon entering 2024 as their closer, though, he battled arm issues, posting a 4.67 ERA in just 18 appearances.0

When he eventually found out he needed major surgery, he was almost glad to have a reason for his struggles. He wasn’t suddenly terrible. He was just hurt.

“My arm was pretty much cooked,” Alzolay said. “It was a relief knowing OK, now we’re going to fix it, you’re going to do the rehab the way you should do it and everything hopefully comes back to normal.”

And so he wound up here, on the backfields at Clover Park, celebrating the small wins that mark life after Tommy John surgery. On Monday, he threw for the first time. That came with questions for Smith, his catch partner: What should he expect next?

The Mets’ athletic trainers and medical personnel prescribe Alzolay’s workload every day, every step of the way, but Smith has lived the experience — from 2019, when he had his first elbow ligament replacement, and recently, having resumed throwing a few weeks ago.

Smith’s best advice: Be ready for shoulder pain. It’s fine. You’re just getting back in shape.

“When was the last time any of us have taken six-plus months off from throwing?” Smith said.

Smith, meanwhile, was limited to 64-68 mph on his throws. He popped the radar gun at 72 on the last one and the Mets’ observers did not love it.

“They were like ‘ooohh!’ Oh my god, come on, it’s 72 mph,” Smith said. “It’s hard not to push, especially when I’m throwing 68. I’m like, this is so stupid.”

Smith laughed and rolled his eyes. He gets it, he just likes to push. Rehab is a slog. This year will be a slog.

Wait till next year.

“I really wanted to be here, to be honest,” Alzolay said. “I really wanted to join this team and have the opportunity to go out there and compete at the highest level — because this team is built to win now.”

Next year, too.

Notes & quotes: No word on when Starling Marte (more right knee soreness) will get into Grapefruit League games. Carlos Mendoza said he has "some good days, some not so good" in his running progression. The Mets remain confident he physically can be a major-leaguer still . . . Dedniel Nunez won't pitch in exhibition games "anytime soon," Mendoza said. The Mets expect him to be ready for Opening Day, but they're taking spring training extra slowly because of his flexor issues last year . . . Paul Blackburn tossed a perfect seven-pitch inning in a 4-1 loss to the Marlins in Jupiter, his first game since offseason surgery to repair a spinal fluid leak. “I’m extremely excited about this year,” he said, “and to put everything from last year behind me” . . . Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt made an honorary first-pitch appearance to promote the RDK Melanoma Foundation.

By Tim Healey

timothy.healey@newsday.com@timbhealey

Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.