Despite $765M on Soto and a mid-season manager change, the New York Mets still face a front-office overhaul. In 2026, they added Bo Bichette, Freddy Peralta, and Marcus Semien. They fired Carlos Mendoza mid-season after a 34-47 start. Yet, somehow, none of it was enough to keep New York in the playoff picture. With just seven games left, the Mets find themselves at the bottom of the division.
“Pretty frustrating,” Cohen admitted. But it appears the Mets owner’s frustration may extend beyond the field. Ever since Mendoza was fired, questions swirled around their president, David Stearns. Now, Cohen has confirmed that changes are coming. A new general manager? Not really, but maybe some new voices in the front office. A voice that could prevent the strategic blunders made by the Mets in 2026.
“We’re going to try to add certain voices into the front office that I think will be helpful. I know David supports that, and I’m looking forward to, when we make those decisions, announcing it,” Cohen said via SNY Mets. “It doesn’t have to be a GM. It could be other ways to support David and the front office.”
Stearns’ resume spoke for itself when he was appointed as the Mets’ first president of baseball operations back in 2023. He successfully turned the Milwaukee Brewers into consistent contenders, leading them to four straight playoff appearances (2018–2021) as general manager and president of baseball operations.
Since purchasing the Mets in 2020, Cohen’s search for a baseball executive ended with Stearns in 2023. Three years later, the results have been disappointing. Under Stearns, the Mets secured the playoffs only in 2024, when they reached the NLCS and lost to the Dodgers. Despite a $358.1 million payroll in 2026 that ranked second in MLB, the Mets stayed as the basement dweller in the division.
Still, insiders were certain about Stearns’ future in New York. “Stearns has a longer deal; I don’t know that he’s under quite the same pressure. But if the Mets do flop, the noise will get incredibly loud around Stearns. It’s pretty loud right now, and we’ll have to see how that all plays out,” MLB insider Ken Rosenthal said back in April. The Mets’ failure and blown decisions may have altered the scene.
The Mets’ biggest mistake: letting their home run leader Pete Alonso walk to Baltimore without a formal offer. Stearns also traded veteran Brandon Nimmo, dismantling the statistical core that previously carried the Mets to the NLCS. Alonso subsequently thrived with Baltimore while the Mets floundered.
Ironically, the Orioles visited Citi Field this week. Alonso hit his 300th career home run, a game-tying shot off Kodai Senga, in Tuesday’s game. It was welcomed with a loud cheer from the Mets fans. Even Cohen was seen clapping and standing up for Alonso’s historic homer.
Moreover, in order to fill voids left by injury-prone or declining veterans, Alonso was replaced with infielder Jorge Polanco on a $40 million deal. It backfired when Polanco missed extensive time before undergoing ankle surgery. A playoff berth would have silenced the criticism, but finishing at the last rank made things difficult. Mendoza’s firing due to the Mets’ on-field struggle created further pressure.
“Stearns didn’t earn it, and he cannot lead,” former Mets coach Eric Chavez said.
Cohen confirmed the new voice would assist, not replace, Stearns. Since taking control, the Mets have never added another voice to the front office. A new GM could be in place. The Mets have lacked a general manager since October 2023, when Billy Eppler stepped down amid an MLB investigation into his use of the injured list. Cohen didn’t clear the air.
The Mets’ front office is screaming for a change
A new manager could also be in place. Their current interim skipper Andy Green is expected to return to his front-office role as the head of the organization’s player-development department.
The Mets certainly need a change in voice. Under Stearns, the Mets followed a rigid, spreadsheet-driven analytical approach, deliberate financial discipline, and a strict focus on long-term sustainability rather than short-term star power. For reference, the Mets didn’t find the Orioles’ $155 million offer for Alonso valuable enough, considering he’s in his thirties.
Alonso scored 38 homers so far this season, while Soto leads the Mets’ hitting chart with 26 homers. Hence, the team needs to bring in experienced baseball minds who are strong at evaluating talent or have held high-ranking front-office positions before.
Stearns is likely staying, but the Mets will add a new GM, manager, or front-office voice.