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Just about everything David Stearns touched with the New York Mets turned into you-know-what.
Stearns took over as president of baseball operations for the Mets in 2024 and reached the National League Championship Series, but after breaking baseball’s best record last year en route to an epic collapse and following it up with a 36-50 record thus far, Stearns is public enemy No. 1 in Queens.
The Mets fired manager Carlos Mendoza, who also joined the team in 2024, last week, but Mets owner Steve Cohen said Stearns would stay in his position for the life of his contract, which expires in 2028 (Mendoza’s contract expired after this season).
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New York Mets general manager David Stearns with New York Mets owner Steve Cohen during Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California on October 13, 2024. (Thomas A. Ferrara/Newsday RM via Getty Images)
“We’ve been under contract for two and a half years. Everyone forgets: Does he get credit for ’24? Doesn’t that count? We almost made it to the World Series. And that was only two years ago. It’s a mixed bag,” Cohen told the New York Post’s “The Show” podcast.
“I’m not going to say it’s going well, but it’s too early to really make any assessments. And I really believe that if we’re going to burn and lose, it’s a terrible place to be. Every time you burn and lose, guess what, next time no one wants to come. Is anyone going to put their career in your hands if you want to be short-term oriented?
New York Mets owner Steve Cohen defended the team’s deadlines. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
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“I have a contract. It’s a five-year contract. And we’re going to see this contract through to the end.”
It was almost impossible to predict because the Mets have the largest payroll in baseball at nearly $330 million, but a 12-game losing streak in April was impossible to overcome. After last year’s collapse, Stearns reshuffled the roster, but none of it worked.
The Mets let Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz enter free agency while trading Jeff McNeil and Brandon Nimmo, and brought in Jorge Polanco, Luis Robert, Bo Bichette, Devin Williams and Luke Weaver. Polanco hasn’t played since April 14 and Robert since April 26, while Bichette is far and away on track to have the worst full season of his career. Williams owns a 4.13 ERA after struggling with the New York Yankees last season, but Luke Weaver’s 2.00 ERA is the only bright spot.
Juan Soto of the New York Mets returns to the dugout after striking out during the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio on June 16, 2026. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
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The Mets offense has the second-worst OPS in the league, at .673, and their starting pitchers’ 4.75 ERA is the fourth-worst mark. They also have the third-most errors in the league, although Stearns opted for “run prevention” in the offseason.
