David Stearns’ five-year contract to lead the Mets’ front office will become official during a Monday press conference at Citi Field in which the 38-year-old Manhattan native will be named president of baseball operations.
There is no shortage of issues facing the Mets as his regime begins.
The process started Sunday, when Buck Showalter stepped aside as manager.
A look at some questions the new baseball boss will have to answer:
What does he seek in a new manager?
It’s possible Stearns has already decided he wants Craig Counsell as his new manager and Counsell is ready to leave Milwaukee.
But barring any kind of backroom agreement, Stearns has to search for a new manager.
Is MLB managing experience necessary for somebody coming to the Mets?
Does a background in player development matter?
Would somebody coming from a winning organization hold an edge?
Stearns will certainly have plenty of qualified candidates from which to choose.
Are the Mets rebuilding next season or trying to compete?
In a letter to season-ticket holders in August, team owner Steve Cohen vowed to field a team next season that will compete.
But Cohen has also indicated the amount of “dead money” the Mets have on the books for next season will likely keep him from going full throttle in free agency.
Max Scherzer agreed to waive his no-trade clause with the Mets (he was dealt to Texas in July) because he said he was told by Cohen and general manager Billy Eppler that the organization was focused on 2025 and beyond instead of next year.
What about Pete Alonso?
The slugging first baseman can head to free agency after the 2024 season.
Will the Mets push to complete a long-term deal with Alonso this offseason?
Will they listen to trade offers for him?
The Brewers spoke to the Mets about Alonso at the trade deadline, but it’s unclear how close the two sides came to reaching an agreement.
Maybe the Mets will let the situation play out through next season.
How aggressively will the Mets pursue Shohei Ohtani?
The two-way star won’t pitch next season after tearing his ulnar collateral ligament and undergoing subsequent surgery.
But his bat alone could be worth the $500 million he may fetch in free agency.
Maybe the Mets won’t be spending big, but a generational star like Ohtani could possibly be exempt from any Mets budget cuts.
Does he fit into Stearns’ vision for the future?
What is his opinion of this rookie crop?
Francisco Alvarez hit 25 homers and appears to have solidified the catching position, but question marks persist about Brett Baty, Mark Vientos and Ronny Mauricio.
All three saw action at third base, but is there a third baseman among them?
Read more
