David Stearns has acknowledged something that resonates with all Mets fans.
His moves at the trade deadline over the past month and a half haven’t turned out well.
The Mets’ president noted that if he had a clear sense of how this season was going to unfold, he might have adjusted his approach. Still, he expressed some satisfaction with the “process” that guided the team’s decisions as of July 31.
“We struggled in August, but looking at September now,” Stearns remarked before the game against the Padres at Citi Field on Tuesday. “There were various parts of our team that just didn’t play to the level we anticipated when we approached the trade deadline.”
“If I had known back then, yes, I would have done things differently.”
The actions the Mets took included bolstering their bullpen with the additions of Ryan Healthley, Tyler Rogers, and Gregory Soto.
However, the expected outcomes from these trades never quite materialized, particularly not providing the rotation support that was needed.
From early August to Monday, the Mets’ rotation posted the highest ERA in the majors at 5.40, ranking as the sixth worst overall.
Kodai Senga struggled so much that he was sent down to Triple A Syracuse. Sean Manaea faced challenges during a recent game where he was used as a long reliever due to Clay Holmes not going deep into the game. After the trade deadline, David Peterson recorded a 6.53 ERA.
Currently, the team looks to Nolan McLean and Brandon Sprout as immediate contributors, alongside three top prospects, though Jonah Tong hasn’t fared well in his recent outing.
“We understand that not every decision will be successful,” Stearns reflected on the evaluation process. “We seldom can predict exactly how a season will unfold, which means we’ve got to learn from what’s happening… but I believe in our evaluation abilities and the work we’ve done overall.”
Initially, their deadline transactions received widespread praise, but opinions have shifted since then.
Rogers performed decently, Soto was okay, yet Healthley entered Tuesday’s game with an alarming ERA of 10.29.
Mets outfielder Cedric Mullins also faced dissatisfaction, missing significant playing time. He struggled and recorded just .188 with a .571 OPS since joining the Mets.
“We’re not at the conclusion of this narrative yet,” Stearns mentioned about the trade acquisitions. “At this moment, it’s fair to say that some of our recent trades haven’t met the expectations we had, nor the levels they’ve performed at in the past.”
He added, “Some of it is simply randomness, which often comes with trade deadline acquisitions every year, and we also need to ensure we’re doing everything possible for them to succeed.”
The Mets are attempting to rectify Healthley’s issues, pinpointing a problem with his pitch holding, although results haven’t stabilized yet.
Mullins, a former Orioles outfielder, has been engaging in daily batting practices with co-hitting coach Jeremy Burns to improve his swing.
“It’s been a bit of an adjustment being part of a new organization and playing a different role,” Stearns noted regarding Mullins’ challenges. “There’s pressure on the players… but I think he’s starting to break out, showing more productive at-bats.”
This week, the Mets will face Padres outfielder Ramon Laureano, who has succeeded since moving from Baltimore, posting an impressive .845 OPS, while Mason Miller, another trade deadline addition, also made an impact.
Stearns took a more measured stance—his team was performing remarkably well until mid-June, leading the division before the deadline.
“I doubt we would be in this position if you had asked me back in mid-June,” he reflected on the team now fighting for the wild card. “That much is certain.”
