Few teams across Major League Baseball have taken more public criticism than the New York Mets since the start of the summer.
The Mets’ collapse from the best record in the sport to out of the playoffs completely was a potentially franchise-altering on-field development. Following that regular-season disappointment, the Mets parted ways with their four longest-tenured players; Pete Alonso and Edwin Díaz via free agency, and Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil via trade.
With a month to go before spring training and lots of roster holes left to plug, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns knows he’s under pressure to turn things around, especially because owner Steve Cohen’s unlimited funds leave him with no excuses for his team’s shortcomings.
On Tuesday, Stearns spoke publicly for the first time since Alonso’s and Díaz’s departures, and admitted that he was well aware of the ways in which the team has come up short since he took over the reins.
“We are committed, universally from ownership on down, to ensure that the next five years of the Mets are better, and that we win more games and meet the lofty expectations that we all have for ourselves,” Stearns said, per Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post.
“What we’ve done previously has not been good enough. We all know that. I certainly know that. We’ve got to do better, and we’re committed to doing that.”
The Mets made a surprisingly deep playoff run in 2024, Stearns’ first year at the helm, after a hot second half propelled them to a wild-card spot. But this past season, after dropping a record-setting $765 million on free agent Juan Soto, the team’s defense was putrid, and a starting rotation cobbled together with reclamation projects fell apart after the All-Star break.
Amid reports of the Mets making an aggressive offer to star outfielder Kyle Tucker, it’s clear Stearns knows he has a lot to accomplish over the next month.
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