The New York Mets have been one of the biggest disappointments in Major League Baseball this season. Set to miss the postseason for the second consecutive year, there have been growing calls for president of baseball operations David Stearns to be fired.
Stearns, age 41, came to New York in 2024 after resigning from his role as the Milwaukee Brewers president of baseball operations. He took the same position with the Mets, hand-picked by owner Steve Cohen to turn the franchise into a perennial World Series contender.
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Instead, New York has a sub-.500 record over the last two years despite having one of the highest payrolls in MLB by a significant margin. However, despite the team’s underwhelming on-field results, it appears that changes aren’t coming.
Robert Murray of Fansided.com reported this week that the Mets are “adamant” about Stearns maintaining his role in 2027. It’s a desire that comes from the top, given Cohen signed his president of baseball operations to a long-term deal to ensure ha landed him.
Part of the issue for New York might also be the lack of high-end candidates available who could take over. There is also uncertainty with the expiring collective bargaining agreement, which could bring with it a reduction in payroll for the top Major League Baseball teams whenever a new CBA is worked out.
New York will once again be players in MLB free agency this winter, but it could be a long wait before signings are made. Some fans might also question if Stearns is the right decision-maker to oversee the club’s additions given what has happened with the likes of Bo Bichette, Freddy Peralta, Marcus Semien, and Jorge Polanco.
As devoted as Cohen is to the franchise he grew up rooting for and has invested billions of dollars into, his loyalty to Stearns remains. It might ultimately take three consecutive years of missing the postseason for a change to be made, and that likely would not come until October 2027.
Matt Johnson is Senior Editor of NFL and College Football for Sportsnaut. His work, including weekly NFL and college … More about Matt Johnson