The New York Mets are at a crossroads after their terrible end-of-season collapse, and David Stearns looks ready to make a statement. Sonny Gray, the $75 million Cardinals ace, has made it clear that he is willing to leave St. Louis after just two seasons. Gray is both a solution and a calculated risk for the Mets, who saw their pitching staff fall apart at the end of the season. This could make or break their chances of winning the championship in 2026.

The public rift between Gray and the Cardinals has become unmistakable. Gray stated plainly: “I don’t know what the future in St. Louis looks like for me yet. I have enjoyed my time with the Cardinals, and I’ve loved the people, but I came here to win. I signed here two years ago with the expectation of winning and trying to win, and that hasn’t played out that way.”

This feeling is in line with the Cardinals’ disappointing 78-84 record in 2025. Gray’s anger is not because of a personal conflict, but because he is not doing well in competition. The pitcher signed a three-year, $75 million deal with the hope of playing in the postseason, but the Cardinals didn’t meet those hopes. Gray has a no-trade clause that gives him full control over where he goes next. He owes $35 million in 2026 and has a $30 million club option for 2027.

The Mets represent an ideal landing spot for both Gray and the Cardinals. Jim Riley, for BALLCAP Sports, identified New York as the logical fit: “The New York Mets…really stands out as needs to grab top of the rotation arms and would really place a high value on the one-year element. The New York Mets, just one year of Sonny Gray, even though it’s 35 million bucks, I think they’ll be perfectly fine with that. And they need a veteran arm. They need a veteran presence.” Riley’s evaluation matches New York’s basic needs. The Mets’ starting rotation had an ERA of 4.13, which put them 18th in the league. Injuries made New York rely a lot on young, inexperienced pitchers at the end of the season, even benching top prospect Kodai Senga. The rotation’s failure was a direct cause of their disappointing finish.

The Cardinals would smartly lower their long-term payroll obligation while freeing up a lot of money for rebuilding. The Mets don’t have to worry about Gray’s one-year deal through 2026 because they just signed Juan Soto to a record-breaking deal.

The Mets’ David Stearns shows that he is willing to make bold trades. Stearns shows that he believes in the franchise’s core and is committed to winning right away by going after Gray hard. A trade for Gray would be a smart way to invest in the stability of the starting rotation, which the Mets really needed in 2025. It’s not clear if the Cardinals and Mets can agree on money terms, but Gray’s clear desire to leave and New York’s clear need make a big trade more likely.

Pete Alonso’s uncertain future as the Mets chase pitching

The New York Mets have a tough decision to make: keep their best player or build a pitching staff that can win a championship. David Stearns is putting pitching first by going after Sonny Gray, even if it means losing roster stability. This plan makes it hard to choose who stays and who goes, and the effects go far beyond the bullpen.

This fight starts with Pete Alonso. The 30-year-old slugger just had a huge 2025 season, hitting 38 home runs, driving in 126 runs, and hitting .272. He is still one of the best hitters in baseball and has been an All-Star five times. But the Mets are willing to let him go.

According to Sports Illustrated, the Mets are “expected to let Alonso walk in free agency unless he takes a team-friendly deal.” That’s a risky bet. A player like Alonso won’t take less money when other teams are willing to pay him full value. The Mets are basically betting that Alonso will give in, which is a bet they will probably lose.

The organization is really worried about whether they can have it all. Can New York get Gray, keep Alonso, and still make a good team? Or does getting top-notch pitching mean giving up the team’s best power hitter? That answer will determine how well the Mets do in the future.