The New York Mets are grappling with a high walk rate, which threatens their playoff hopes despite a promising start to the season. President of baseball operations David Stearns and manager Carlos Mendoza acknowledged the issue, emphasizing the need for pitchers to trust their stuff and pitch more aggressively. Complicating matters, the Mets' farm system has underperformed, with key prospects struggling with injuries and inconsistency. This has delayed their readiness to contribute at the major league level. Despite these challenges, the Mets remain focused on securing a postseason berth, albeit needing significant improvements in pitching performance. The team is also considering offseason strategies to bridge the gap if prospects aren't ready by next season.