Heading into the 2025 regular season, the New York Mets were labeled as a powerhouse in the National League. New York made a massive move in the offseason when Juan Soto signed a lucrative deal. However, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza could not help but watch as his team fell apart late. Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos shared his surprise at the collapse.

Athletes around the sports world have taken shots at New York's tragic finish. Despite bringing in star players in the offseason and revamping the bullpen at the trade deadline, Mendoza's roster could not get into a rhythm. The Mets went from the Phillies' main challenger in the NL East to one of many teams fighting for a Wild Card spot. In the end, a tiebreaker forced them out.

Castellanos and the Phillies are preparing for an NLDS series against the Los Angeles Dodgers that begins this weekend. However, the former All-Star spoke with Foul Territory TV about how New York's season ended. According to him, the Mets' failure to make it into the postseason field caught him and many others off guard.

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“You're always a little bit surprised when a team goes out and spends $765 million on one player and doesn't make the playoffs,” Castellanos said. “Am I surprised? I don't know, because baseball is very hard. Not talking s**t or anything, but when an acquisition like that is made, a team does better than when they did in the past.”

The Mets have to turn to the trade market and free agency to try to bolster their roster yet again. Soto played better down the stretch of the season, but inconsistent pitching doomed New York's playoff chances. After a heartbreaking season, Mendoza's team has more than enough motivation to come back stronger in 2026. The only question is how it solve its issues.