One Juan Soto is never enough to create a championship-winning team. During the last offseason, when the Mets signed Soto to a historic MLB contract, it came at the expense of addressing broader roster needs. After parting ways with two veteran pitchers, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, during the 2023 season, the pitching was already handicapped. Still, the Mets went for a franchise player rather than spending on their rotation. And for that, no one but David Stearns, the president of baseball operations in Queens, is to blame.

Steve Cohen’s team currently ranks 11th in MLB with a 4.00 ERA. While the offense has provided moments of brilliance, the pitching staff has consistently failed to deliver throughout the season. A recent Rising Apple column by Josue De Jesus highlighted this exact issue and asked David Stearns to stop experimenting with the pitching staff.

“This freefall isn’t just a late-season slump; it’s the consequence of a flawed roster construction. It’s the bill coming due for an offseason strategy that, aside from the blockbuster Soto signing, felt more suited for a small-market contender than a team with New York-sized aspirations. As the Mets stumble towards the finish line, this painful collapse must serve as a blaring wake-up call for President of Baseball Operations David Stearns. The time for experiments is over,” De Jesus wrote.

That criticism can easily be understood when you look at how the Mets have managed their rotation even this season.

On July 18, they were ahead of Cincinnati 2–1 when they took Sean Manaea, who came back from the IL, out after 69 pitches. But then they called on reliever Alex Carrillo, who gave up a two-run homer. The Mets didn’t take him right away; instead, skipper Carlos Mendoza gave him another inning. Another long ball came after that. The game ended in an 8–4 loss, and that encounter boosted the Reds’ head-to-head record.

This is now becoming a headache for the clubhouse. With the postseason not far off, the Mets find themselves in a tough spot, with the playoff chase reduced to just three teams. The Diamondbacks, the Giants, and the Reds are all still in the running for the last Wild Card position. Out of these, the Reds are the biggest threat right now, having won four of six regular-season games against the Mets, which gives them an important edge in the head-to-head tiebreaker.

New York Post’s Joel Sherman echoed similar concerns about the team’s overall performance. “Since June 13th, they have the 27th out of 30 best record in the sport. It’s 35-52. That’s just ahead of Washington. … David Stearns’ stuff hasn’t really worked this year.”

David Stearns left the Mets with a rotation full of question marks by not aggressively going after a frontline starter. They relied on players who lacked experience, mostly on rookie pitchers. As a result, there were only a few options left. And when asked about the same, he responded, “If I had known how our season would develop, I absolutely would have made different decisions.” With their current 81-76 record, the Mets face a “do or die” scenario as Manaea mentioned.

But as if the pitching issues weren’t enough, their starting pitcher just had a season-ending surgery.

Veteran loss deepens Mets’ pitching crisis

The Mets are already having a roller coaster season, and it got even worse when veteran right-hander Tylor Megill had Tommy John surgery. It ended his 2025 season and put his availability for 2026 in serious doubt.

Tylor Megill first went on the injured list in mid-June with a strain in his right elbow. The injury occurred during the Tampa Bay Rays game on June 15. He had a bad game, giving up six runs in 3 2/3 innings. He was put on the 60-day IL later and started rehab in September, but his arm got stiff again, and an MRI showed ligament damage. Because of the risk and severity, the Mets decided that surgery was necessary to fix the damaged UCL.

This loss makes the pressure on the Mets’ pitchers even worse.

They lack depth in their rotation without Megill. The NYM had flexibility because he could switch between starting and relieving. Plus, Frankie Montas and other pitchers are also experiencing elbow problems, which makes things even more uncertain.

Despite all the struggles, the Mets have to keep going. And it will be a great watch whether the team will be able to fulfil their “responsibility…to compete every year for the playoffs and the title,“ as pointed out by David Stearns.