The New York Mets enter this offseason with many needs and positions to fill. One of them was a manager, and the Mets have reportedly found their skipper in Carlos Mendoza, the former New York Yankees bench coach.
With Mendoza at the helm, president of baseball operations David Stearns enters the General Manager meetings with his new manager set. However, there is still plenty for Stearns to address as the offseason gets underway. He spoke at the GM meetings Tuesday. Some other news came out about front office moves.
Here’s a recap.
David Stearns. Photo by Mike De Sisti
The Mets Won’t Hire a GM This Year
Soon after the Mets parted ways with Showalter, they had an unexpected vacancy. General manager Billy Eppler resigned after MLB notified the team that they were investigating Eppler for misuse of the injured list.
Initially, the plan was for Eppler and Stearns to work together, but that ended quickly. Now, the Mets need a general manager again, but Stearns revealed that they won’t fill that role this offseason.
Stearns said they “have enough going on.” He complimented the current front office and said that they are learning from each other and that they’ll “tackle that at a different point.”
Front Office Moves
One thing to note is Stearns brought in an old colleague from Milwaukee in the form of Eduardo Brizuela. He previously was the vice president of the Brewers and worked in Milwaukee for 15 years. He will work as a vice president and special assistant at Stearns.
Carlos Beltrán will also stay as a special assistant to Stearns, continuing a role he had under Eppler.
Stearns Will Talk to Senga About Pitching Preferences
Mets rookie sensation Kodai Senga was a topic of discussion in Stearns’ presser. Stearns mentioned they will have a conversation about Senga’s usage and preferences for next season. Senga was used on 5-days rest in 2023, and with Senga now being inserted as the team ace of the staff, Senga might have to adjust to a 4-day rest usage. The Mets need starting pitching, so this meeting could go a long way in determining how they approach it in free agency.
Counsell Spurns the Mets
On the topic of Craig Counsell, who on Monday decided to head to Chicago and manage the Cubs, which shocked the baseball world. Many thought he was going to the Mets or back to Milwaukee. Pivoting to Chicago was surprising not only to many but to Stearns as well. Stearns said he didn’t see Counsell going to the Cubs coming. Stearns and Counsell talked, and he recently interviewed for the position. Stearns felt Counsell had to make the right decision for himself and his family. Stearns also said that Counsell can “play things close to the vest” but that he made the right choice.
Focus is on Run Prevention/Pitching
Lastly, Stearns noted what the Mets needed to address this offseason on the field. He talked about the pitching and how the team needs it. He also spoke about run prevention. “There are probably ways we can improve run prevention. Run prevention is certainly starting pitching, its relief pitching, and its defense. I think those will be areas that we’ll pay attention to.” The Mets will need help in the pitching department after the trades of their two aces during the trade deadline and then not coming to an agreement with reliever Adam Ottavino. Players like Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Blake Snell are available in the starting pitching department. As for relievers, players such as Craig Kimbrel and Josh Hader are on the market.
