David Stearns spoke with the media for the second straight day at the Winter Meetings in Nashville Tuesday shortly before the Lottery Draft began. While brief, he spoke about the general direction the Mets were heading in for the 2024 season.

David Stearns. Photo by Mike De Sisti

Starting Pitching

While the Mets have been linked to the likes of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Eduardo Rodriguez, Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery and Erick Fedde in the past 24 hours, Stearns shared his approach to constructing a rotation. When asked whether the Mets needed a frontline starter for success, Stearns noted, “You can put together a very competitive and solid pitching staff in a variety of different ways.”

The Mets tried the aging co-ace route last season with Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, but things didn’t go their way. Reports show they are high on Yamamoto, as they should be. However, the emergence of the Fedde rumors and the recent signing of Luis Severino show that depth is just as important. Without it, you can’t get through a season. The Mets might even go for a six-man rotation this season if they feel it’s the right thing to do.

Designated Hitter

Ever since the DH became official in the National League, the Mets haven’t been able to find their permanent guy at the position. Daniel Vogelbach never quite worked out, and from there, it’s been a rotation of constant inconsistency in the role.

When asked about the role and potential candidates, Stearns noted both DJ Stewart and Mark Vientos are both internal candidates. Discussing the importance of Stewart, Stearns commented, “he’s an at-bat first player, and where exactly that fits best will be dependent on how the rest of the offseason shapes out and rest of the roster shakes out.”

Pete Alonso

Entering his final year under contract, Pete Alonso‘s name has been swirling in trade rumors ever since the August deadline this past summer. When asked whether teams are still in contact with the Mets regarding the Polar Bear, Stearns made clear, as he has in the past, “Pete’s a really good player, and I expect him to be a Met on Opening Day.”