Quiet offseason be damned, David Stearns still very much believes that his New York Mets should be in the playoff hunt.
“We should be competing for a playoff spot,” the club’s president of baseball operations told SNY’s Andy Martino on Mets Hot Stove. “We should be building a team that has the ability to make the playoffs. And that’s certainly the expectation for our team. I believe we’ll be able to meet that expectation. And we should have exciting baseball in September and October for our fans to be proud of.”
Unlike the first few years of the Steve Cohen era, the Mets have not made a blockbuster, baseball-world-shattering signing or trade this winter. There has been no Francisco Lindor trade or signings of Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander.
Instead, there’s been depth and projects. The bullpen is being addressed by committee behind Edwin Diaz. The starting rotation has been supported by Luis Severino and Sean Manaea — low-risk, high-reward signings with an abundance to prove in 2024.
It’s a byproduct of missing out on Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who was the lone big-name target the Mets seriously pursued this offseason. Despite offering him a record-breaking $325 million deal, he opted for the allure of the West Coast and playing alongside Shohei Ohtani with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Stearns and the Mets aren’t necessarily done making moves this offseason. There are still relievers to sign and they have been linked on the trade market with some starting pitchers. But for a team that needs a designated hitter, Stearns said another bat isn’t “essential,” though they’ve still been linked to free-agent designated hitter Jorge Soler.
Regardless, the uncertainties around the roster still haven’t diminished Stearns’ initial viewpoint of the franchise during his introductory press conference as he balances immediate contention with the long-term sustainability that Cohen is hoping for.
“I think we should be in the playoff race and a true playoff contender,” Stearns said at his introductory press conference in early October. “That should be our goal… Our goal is to begin that now.”
