The New York Mets have lost two key players on back-to-back days as Edwin Diaz is heading to the Los Angeles Dodgers, while Pete Alonso is signing with the Baltimore Orioles. Moreover, there’s the trade that sent Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers.
As a result, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns is being questioned by the New York media and fanbase over his decision-making. Nonetheless, with Nimmo, Diaz, and Alonso gone, Stearns has ripped out three players who were staples on the Mets teams over the last few seasons.
Stearns now can continue molding the Mets into what he envisions. Still, he will need to get the decisions right to replace these players, and ESPN New York’s Michael Kay is willing to give Stearns time, but if he doesn’t get the decisions right this offseason, patience from Mets fans could be short.
“David Stearns has put himself squarely in the crosshairs of pressure,” Kay said on the December 10th edition of “The Michael Kay Show.“ “He’s got to do big things. We’ve got to see his vision. We’ve got to give him time to enact his vision. We can’t pass final judgment on December 10th. He’s going to do stuff, but we have to see what he’s going to do.”
Mets’ David Stearns Gets Nico Harrison Comparison
Stearns has been with the Mets since 2023 and, in his third offseason, is making unpopular decisions he believes will make New York a contender in the National League.
Nonetheless, Kay floated the idea that Stearns could be suffering from thinking he’s smarter than everyone else, leading to the Nico Harrison comparison, which no executive in any sport wants.
“Is David Stearns turning into Nico Harrison? The since-fired Dallas Mavericks GM,“ Kay added. “He thought he was smarter than everybody else. He dealt one of the great players of all time, and Luka Dončić, and got really nothing back for it…
“And that’s what’s going to happen to David Stearns. If his vision does not give you a winning Mets team that makes the playoffs. His vision last year was flawed. They were terrible… He is squarely in the crosshairs.
“Everybody talks about Yankee fans being difficult and demanding, and they are. Well, don’t sell the Mets fans short because they’ve had a history of disappointment and heartbreak. You think they’re going to take this lying down?”
David Stearns Breaks Silence on Mets Offseason
After Diaz signed with the Dodgers on December 9th, Stearns did appear on SNY and while he didn’t comment on the deal because it’s not official yet, he did take the opportunity to speak to Mets fans as he looks to sell them his vision.
“We are very optimistic and confident about where our organization is headed,“ Stearns said on December 9th. “We have tremendous ownership support, strong top-end talent at the major league level, and one of the best farm systems in baseball. When you add it all up, we are moving in an outstanding direction.
“I understand that our fan base is frustrated with how our season ended last year. We didn’t meet our expectations and have to do better. I also understand the attachment to players who have been here and performed for a long time. We take that into account when making decisions.
“We also have to make choices that allow us to compete now while fitting into future years, where we want to consistently have a World Series-caliber team and organization. Sometimes that requires tough, uncomfortable decisions, and we’ve made a few this offseason.”
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