5 intriguing storylines to watch for the Mets in the second half of the 2025 season

At Major League Baseball's All-Star break, a division title is well within reach for the Mets.

They enter the second half of the season with a 55-42 record and a half game behind the Phillies (55-41) for the top spot in the National League East. If the Mets can get over the top in their last 65 games, they would win their first NL East pennant since 2015 when they made their last trip to the World Series.

There was a lot for the Mets to like about their first half. They put together a pair of lengthy winning streaks in April to move to the top of the pack in the NL. Pete Alonso got off to his best start of his career and Francisco Lindor avoided a hiccup out of the gate.

In spite of a robust June from Juan Soto, the final full month of the first half presented a host of challenges and obstacles that raised some questions for the closing stretch.

The Mets closed the month by losing 12 of their last 15 games as injuries jabbed the pitching staff. It left some discussion for how the front office can fortify the unit into a World Series contender over the final three months heading into the playoffs.

As the Mets move toward an exciting close to the 2025 season, here are five intriguing storylines for the second half:

Can Clay Holmes and the starting rotation hold up?

When the Mets entered spring training in February, there were feasibly eight or nine pitchers with strong major league experience who could impact the rotation.

Injuries poked major holes in that depth, particularly in June when Griffin Canning was lost to a ruptured Achillies tendon, Paul Blackburn was saddled with a right shoulder impingement and Tylor Megill landed on the 60-day IL with a right elbow sprain.

The Mets have gotten healthier in areas, with Frankie Montas making four starts since a high grade lat strain kept him out for roughly three months and Kodai Senga (hamstring) and Sean Manaea (oblique) returning last weekend.

But injuries have been a concern for Montas and Senga in the past. Clay Holmes has provided a major lift in his transition back to being a starting pitcher but with 103⅓ innings thrown, he's already 33⅓ innings past his career high.

Another hit to the starting rotation would put the Mets at a disadvantage in their playoff quest.

Will Francisco Alvarez return to form after demotion?

When the Mets optioned Francisco Alvarez to Triple-A Syracuse on June 22, they wanted to see growth in all areas of his game.

In his third full season with the Mets, there had been some regression. Alvarez was not hitting for as much power, with three home runs in 35 games and striking out 27.5 percent of the time. Behind the plate, his framing numbers were down.

When Alvarez is going well, as he did at points as a rookie when he hit 25 home runs, he provides a major spark in the Mets' lineup. That could be used down the stretch.

The 23-year-old has excelled at the plate in Triple-A since the calendar turned to July. In 11 games, he's 13-for-41 (.317) with six home runs, 13 RBI, nine runs and two doubles. Now, can he bring that success back with him to MLB?

Is there enough firepower behind Edwin Diaz in the bullpen?

Edwin Diaz is back dominating once again.

After a hectic 2024 return from a season-long right knee injury, Diaz earned his third All-Star selection this season. The Mets closer has converted 19 of his 20 save opportunities and posted a 1.66 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 55 strikeouts across 38 innings. He has allowed one earned run in 27 appearances since April 21.

The strength of the rest of the bullpen is up for debate. Reed Garrett appears to be the most dominant counterpart, after allowing two earned runs through the first two full month,s but he was tested through a rocky stretch in late June and early July.

Ryne Stanek has been susceptible to some blowups, while other early stalwarts Jose Butto (illness) and Max Kranick (flexor tendon) both ended the first half on the shelf. Butto should return, but Tommy John surgery is on the table for Kranick. Dedniel Nuñez, who was a juggernaut in 2024, is also due to have his second Tommy John surgery.

The Mets could get a lift from Brooks Raley, who has tossed nine scoreless innings with 13 strikeouts in eight rehab appearances as he works back from Tommy John surgery last spring. The team badly needs a lefty after A.J. Minter and Danny Young were lost for the season.

When will Pete Alonso become Mets' home run king?

The Mets should have a new home run record by the end of the 2025 season, as long as Alonso stays healthy.

The Mets first baseman, who received his fifth All-Star selection this season, is five home runs away from matching Darryl Strawberry's 252 long balls for most in franchise history.

Alonso has 21 home runs in 97 games this season, with some peaks and valleys in his power along the way. In May, he went a stretch of 16 games without a home run — his longest drought of his career. He followed it up with a run of eight home runs in 14 games between late May and early June.

Alonso's chase will be one of the more memorable storylines in the second half. But when will he pass Strawberry and where can he set the new mark as another set of contract negotiations loom in the offseason.

How does David Stearns approach the trade deadline?

At the All-Star break last season, the Mets had begun their resurgence but a playoff berth was far from a foregone conclusion. They were 49-46 and one game up in the NL Wild Card race.

At the trade deadline, David Stearns made moves around the periphery, adding Jesse Winker as a left-handed bat and Stanek, Phil Maton and Huascar Brazoban to bullpen.

Those moves paid dividends in the playoff push but were not enough to get the Mets over the Dodgers.

Now, in 2025, with Soto in tow, the expectations are loftier for this year's unit. There are needs in the bullpen and to perhaps bolster the lineup. How far will Stearns go and will he dip into his strong farm system to acquire a big name that moves the needle in the Mets' favor?

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Mets: 5 intriguing storylines to watch in the second half of 2025