Reviewing the Positive Player Acquisitions Moves David Stearns Has Made

The Mets have made many moves over the last three seasons, some good, some bad, some too early to tell, and everything in-between.

There seems to be a movement on Mets social media platforms to give every success to Steve Cohen and every failure to David Stearns which is obviously ridiculous. Some players see their credit switch back and forth depending on how they are performing. Stearns is the president of baseball operations, he signs the players, designs their contracts, and handles negotiations. He may pull Cohen in when Cohen can be of service, or Cohen may make mandates on players he wants the club to go after. But Cohen is not personally signing these players. His credit exists as the owner where everything good or bad rolls up into him.

This article will go over the moves that were more good than bad, or were just fine. (The opposite article will come soon after.)

Juan Soto by Roberto Carlo

The Clear Home Runs

Juan Soto

Even with his 2026 injuries, I don’t think anyone would want to undo the Juan Soto signing. Soto will be here at a minimum for five years, and likely for the full 15. He has continued to be one of the best offensive players while growing into a plus baserunner. He has also become much closer to a league average defender in the outfield despite playing injured for much of 2026.

This is THE contract for this era of the Mets. The time they snagged the superstar from the New York Yankees. If he finishes his career here, he will go into the Hall of Fame with a Mets cap on. He will likely break every offense Mets record and has turned into the current face of the franchise.

Pete Alonso (2025)

David Stearns played this free agency perfectly, reading the market and knowing he could wait it out to get Pete Alonso to the Mets under his terms. Like the year that would follow, both Stearns and Cohen had no problems letting Pete walk if he managed to find anything better than what the Mets were comfortable with. It is possible the three years they discussed after 2025 on its own was the Mets going outside of their comfort zone. Regardless while after this big season one team was willing to go past what the Mets would offer that was not the case heading into 2025.

The Mets may not have one of the largest franchise home run records, but Alonso broke that record in the sole year of this contract. While his home run and RBI totals were decently below the high marks of his career, he posted his second best OPS as a Met.

Clay Holmes

If Clay Holmes did not break his leg on a comebacker this deal would look even better than the massive success it is. He received roughly a reliever salary to pitch 218.1 innings to a 3.26 ERA and 1.23 WHIP, making 40 starts and pitching two games in relief. Fun fact: he’s thrown more innings for the Mets than Yankees (by two outs).

Clay also brought back one of the best prospects for the Mets in Jefferson Rojas and has performed well for the Cubs in their playoff race.

Brooks Raley

When Stearns brought back Brooks Raley it was unclear if he would pitch at all in 2025, which is why he was able to negotiate in that 2026 club option at only $4.1 million. He was able to pitch 25.2 innings in 2025 to a 2.45 ERA and was even better in 2026 pitching 41.1 innings to a 1.96 ERA for the Mets. They traded him for a pair of prospects to the Phillies and bonus points that he has not been as good for them as he was with the Mets. I understand that is petty and that is fine.

Sean Manaea (2024)

Sean Manaea’s 2024 season, especially his dominant second half was a huge part of their miracle NLCS run. He pitched a career high 181.2 innings to a 3.47 ERA and 1.08 WHIP and his 12 wins tied a career high. If that was his only season as a Met he would go down as one of the best rentals the team ever had.

Jose Iglesias

Jose Iglesias signed a minor league deal and stated that it took convincing from David Stearns and assurances he would be among the first depth pieces called up to not opt out of his contract. That promise was kept and he rewarded the Mets by hitting .337 with a .830 OPS and adding life into the new team with his play and music.

Luke Weaver

Luke Weaver’s 1.84 ERA and 0.82 WHIP across 44 innings is one of the best stretches a Met reliever has ever had. He did struggle in April but followed that up with 24 scoreless appearances. The Mets traded him for Sammy Stafura but it will likely be a while before we know how they fare on that trade.

Tyler Rogers

Rogers was the only piece of the Mets 2025 trade deadline that performed well for them pitching to a 2.30 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. He was arguably not utilized well by Mets manager Carlos Mendoza but he was effective overall. Outdated prospect lists made it seem like he cost more than he did but Drew Gilbert has been a below average hitter who has been fine in the corners but struggled in center field, Blade Tidwell has struggled as a starter, and Jose Butto has been either bad or hurt for the Giants.

Luis Torrens by Berto Carlo

Great Moves With Little Risk

Jared Young

When factoring contract cost you could argue Jared Young should be in the tier above this but I can only give so much shine to a platoon first baseman. He has been right around what the average first baseman does offensively, is basically free, and is under team control past this season.

Luis Severino

Luis Severino was the first of the former Yankee signings and the Mets did what seemed impossible: they kept him healthy. His 182 innings was the highest since 2018 and he pitched to a respectable 3.91 ERA and 1.24 WHIP.

Griffin Canning

Griffin Canning was signed to be more of a reliever or swingman player but injuries to the rotation shifted him into a larger role than expected. He responded by pitching the best stretch of his career, going 76.1 innings to a 3.77 ERA and 1.34 WHIP before an injury ended his season.

Tyrone Taylor

Tyrone Taylor was exactly what you would expect from a fourth outfielder. He provided plus defense off the bench, was roughly a league average bat, and a good baserunner.

Luis Torrens

Maybe you could argue that Luis Torrens should be in the upper category but no matter how good his defense is he is also still a backup catcher and a below average hitter. But the Mets got him for just cash and he has been a great addition to the ballclub.

JD Martinez

J.D. Martinez signed an inexpensive and heavily deferred deal late in the offseason which delayed his start. He did wear down in the later weeks and had some terrible batted ball luck in September but had a .777 OPS going into that month. His leadership and red hot May and June played a big part in the Mets 2024 success.

Phil Maton

Phil Maton was the first move the Mets made when they signaled that they may be looking to buy at the 2024 deadline. He pitched 28.2 innings down the stretch to a 2.51 ERA and 0.84 WHIP and was a stabilizing force at the back of the bullpen. He did struggle in the playoffs but was huge in the second half.

Ryne Stanek (2024)

Ryne Stanek was the opposite of Maton in that he was much more mixed in the regular season for the Mets but became one of the most trusted arms in the playoffs arguably putting the bullpen on his back for their NLCS run.

Bo Bichette by Berto Carlo

This is Bo Bichette

Bo Bichette

Bo Bichette is going to be hard to evaluate before we know if he is opting out or not. His signing tanked the 2026 draft with the expectation he would help bring the Mets to the playoffs but it seems clear that will not happen. His struggles the first few weeks of the season played a big part of that, but since late May, he was exactly what was expected. If he opts in and has a classic Bo season in 2027 this will be viewed differently.

Perfectly Fine

Harrison Bader

Harrison Bader was signed to play plus defensive center field and hit well enough to be at the bottom of the lineup and he provided exactly that with an 84 WRC+ and a 95th percentile rating in outs above average. More offense would have been nice but Harrison Bader was exactly what he was signed to be.

Adam Ottavino

Adam Ottavino turned down his player option and returned for less than the option he rejected and in a lesser role than what he was used to, this time pitching in middle relief. He pitched 56 innings to a 4.34 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with 12 holds and one save. He struggled against left-handed hitting but against right-handed hitters put up a 3.13 ERA.

Devin Williams

Devin Williams had a horrid start to his first season as a Met but from late April when he adjusted his setup to when he went on the injured list across 30.2 innings pitched he put up a 3.52 ERA and 1.43 WHIP with 14 saves in 16 appearances. Ideally in the last two seasons of this deal he will perform better but if he is exactly that the last two seasons it is perfectly fine.

MJ Melendez

MJ Melendez was signed to be depth and he played 56 games to a 91 WRC+ and positive fWAR. His 1.061 OPS across his first 33 PA was the highlight. His performance overall was not enough to keep a roster spot but he was signed for $1.5 million and was fine for what he was signed to do.

Tobias Myers

Tobias Myers‘ ERA is terrible, that cannot be denied. He also was shuffled through various roles, up and down from the minors, stretched out, put back in single inning relief, and unable to ever get into a groove. He was great to start the season, looked great in Triple-A when he could have a regular role, and looked much better when he returned to the majors. It is unfortunate his final option was utilized but ideally he can take this late season success with him into 2027.

Jorge Lopez

The most memorable moment of Jorge Lopez‘s tenure was throwing his glove into the stands, potentially bad mouthing the team, and being released. But when he was here his 3.76 ERA and 1.37 WHIP as a Met is better than I would have guessed without looking it up.

Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Good When Here but Hurt Too Much

Luis Robert Jr.

It is unfortunate Luis Robert Jr. missed so many games and even more unfortunate he did not return earlier before the trade deadline to raise his stock then. His .707 OPS and 97 WRC+ was the best season he had since his breakout 2023 season and despite only playing in 63 games, his 11 home runs was four more than the Mets got out of center field in all of 2025.

A.J. Minter

A.J. Minter only made it into 36 games as a Met but when he did pitch he put up good results to a 2.12 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. He had nine holds and two blown saves as a Met.

Jesse Winker

In both of his stints as a Met Jesse Winker was roughly a league average hitter who struggled with back issues. He played a big part in helping the Mets make the postseason in 2024 and was a postseason hero for the team. He started 2025 well with a .738 OPS, tried to return in July, and went back on the injured list for a back injury that may have ended his career.

Max Kranick

Max Kranick was an interesting case because the Mets signed him to a deal in 2024 and put him on the 40-man roster before the playoffs so he could not elect free agency at the end of the 2024 season. He pitched 37 innings to a 3.65 ERA and 1.05 WHIP but he missed the entire second half of the season with injury.