Mets president David Stearns concedes trade-deadline moves have fallen short
Stearns says he would have acted differently knowing how August and September would unfold as bullpen additions and outfield pickup struggle
David Stearns, the New York Mets’ president of baseball operations, acknowledged Tuesday that the club’s high-profile moves at the July 31 trade deadline have not produced the results management expected.
Speaking before the Mets opened a series against the San Diego Padres at Citi Field, Stearns said he was satisfied with the process that led to the team’s deadline decisions but conceded he “absolutely” would have done things differently had he known how the late season would play out. “We did not play well during the month of August, and frankly at this point through September,” Stearns said. “We’ve had various segments of our team that haven’t performed to the level that we certainly anticipated as we approached the trade deadline.”
The Mets swung for bullpen and outfield help at the deadline, acquiring relievers Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rogers and Gregory Soto and trading for everyday center fielder Cedric Mullins. On the field, those moves have largely failed to turn into the expected improvements while the starting rotation also has wavered.
Since the start of August through Monday, the Mets’ rotation ranked near the bottom of the majors in innings pitched and posted a 5.40 ERA, the sixth-worst in baseball over that span. Kodai Senga was sent to Triple-A Syracuse after a steep decline, Sean Manaea has been used as a bulk reliever behind closer Clay Holmes, and David Peterson has posted a 6.53 ERA since the deadline.
Stearns acknowledged the misses but also defended the club’s evaluation work. “We understand we’re not going to get everything right,” he said. “We’re unlikely to predict with perfection what seasons are going to look like, what stretches of seasons are going to look like. So I think certainly we have to learn from this … but also, I am confident in our evaluative capabilities and the work on the whole we have accomplished.”
Some deadline pickups have shown signs of life while others have struggled. Rogers has performed relatively well, Soto has been serviceable, but Helsley entered Tuesday with a 10.29 ERA in a Mets uniform. Mullins, who arrived from Baltimore and was envisioned as the club’s everyday center fielder, hit .188 with a .571 OPS and has been platooned with Jose Siri.
Mets officials say they have identified problems and are working to address them. The club believes Helsley has been tipping pitches and has tried to correct that issue. Mullins has been taking early batting practice daily and working with co-hitting coach Jeremy Barnes as he adapts to a new organization and role, Stearns said. “Adjusting to a new organization, a little bit of a different role,” Stearns said of Mullins’ struggles. “Got off to a little bit of a struggle, and sometimes that can put pressure on players. … I do think he’s beginning to come out of it. I think we’re seeing him have a little more productive at-bats.”
The team has also turned to prospects to fill gaps. Nolan McLean and Brandon Sproat have been pressed into immediate roles, while Jonah Tong, another up-and-comer, was unable to make it through the first inning in his most recent outing.
Stearns noted that the Mets were in a markedly different position earlier in the season, having been the best team in baseball through June 12 and holding the division lead at the trade deadline. The club now faces a fight for a wild-card spot.
The contrast with other deadline actors was on display in New York this week. The visiting Padres have received strong production from Baltimore acquisitions Ramón Laureano (.845 OPS with his new team) and closer Mason Miller, who has been dominant since joining San Diego. Stearns said he understands comparisons but urged perspective. “First of all, I’d say we’re not at the end of the line yet, and so there are potentially chapters yet to be written,” he said. “But to this point, it’s a fair assessment that our trade deadline — at least some of our trade-deadline acquisitions — have not performed at the level that we expected, or the level that they have performed at throughout their careers.”
Stearns said the organization will study what went wrong and seek lessons to improve future decision-making and player support. He emphasized the club’s pride in trying to help incoming players be “the best versions of themselves” while acknowledging that randomness and streakiness affect how acquisitions perform. The Mets enter the final stretch of the season seeking steadier production from their deadline additions and from a rotation that must stabilize if the team hopes to reach the postseason.