Since the Mets hired him as president of baseball operations in October 2023, David Stearns has overseen two full offseasons — this is his third — two MLB drafts and two trade deadlines.
While holdovers such as Francisco Lindor and Kodai Senga remain from the previous regime, much of the Mets’ current roster came together under Stearns’ leadership.
That became even more true this week when franchise staples Edwin Diaz left for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Pete Alonso departed for the Baltimore Orioles.
And while this offseason is far from over, here’s a look back at the Mets’ moves under Stearns.
2023-24 OFFSEASON
When Stearns took over, the Mets were fresh off of a 75-87 season in which they traded away high-priced veterans before the deadline.
Rather than try to fix everything at once, Stearns doled out a series of short-term contracts to keep the Mets afloat during the 2024 season and financially flexible going into the star-studded 2024-25 offseason.
Carlos Mendoza
The first major move by Stearns was to hire Mendoza as manager.
Mendoza replaced Buck Showalter, whom the Mets had fired a day before they officially announced Stearns’ hiring.
Craig Counsell, who worked with Stearns in Milwaukee, was initially considered the Mets’ top target, until he took the Chicago Cubs’ managerial job instead.
The Mets are 172-152 (.531) in Mendoza’s two seasons as manager, which have included a surprise run to the NLCS in 2024, followed by them missing the playoffs in 2025 after a second-half collapse.
Luis Severino
Practicing the principles he adhered to as a Milwaukee Brewers executive, Stearns filled out the Mets rotation with a series of low-risk commitments rather than sign an ace to a mega-deal.
The first was Severino, who, after multiple years marred by injury and inconsistency with the Yankees, signed a one-year, $13 million contract with the Mets.
The Mets’ multi-faceted plan to keep Severino healthy was a success, and the right-hander went 11-7 with a 3.91 ERA over 31 starts.
Adrian Houser and Tyrone Taylor
Less successful was the Mets’ trade with the Brewers to add Houser, who was moved to the bullpen by May, released in July and finished 1-5 with a 5.84 ERA.
But that deal did bring back Taylor, whose center-field defense continues to provide value.
Sean Manaea
The Mets signed Manaea to a two-year, $28 million contract to be their final starter after Yoshinobu Yamamoto spurned them for the Dodgers.
Manaea turned out to be their ace in 2024, going 12-6 with a 3.47 ERA — about a run lower than the year prior with San Francisco.
Jose Iglesias
The veteran infielder went from a minor-league signing who didn’t make the Opening Day roster to a key hit-maker on and off the field.
Iglesias hit .361 in 85 games, while his upbeat Latin pop song “OMG” became the Mets’ rally anthem.
When he was called up in late May, Iglesias effectively replaced utility infielder Joey Wendle, another 2023 offseason signing, who did not work out.
Jorge Lopez
Lopez’s one-year, $2 million deal looked like a bargain until the former All-Star reliever got ejected from a game for arguing over a checked-swing call, tossed his glove into the stands, and then gave a profanity-riddled postgame media address.
He was released soon after that May incident.
Harrison Bader
Playing on a one-year, $10.5 million deal, Bader was a bit of a mixed bag. The center fielder batted .236 with 12 homers and 17 steals, but his playing time dwindled behind Taylor down the stretch.
J.D. Martinez
The veteran designated hitter signed a one-year, $12 million contract with the Mets days before the season opener. While Martinez posted just a .725 OPS, the six-time All-Star quickly emerged as a clubhouse leader.
2024 IN-SEASON MOVES
Luis Torrens
Acquiring Torrens from the Yankees for cash remains a savvy success, as the backup catcher was a Gold Glove finalist in 2025.
Jesse Winker
Winker’s three homers and .683 OPS after being traded from the Washington Nationals in 2024 don’t tell the full story, as the lefty-swinging DH brought an infectious intensity and delivered big hits during the playoffs.
Additional Arms
Stearns filled out his 2024 trade deadline haul by adding starter Paul Blackburn and relievers Ryne Stanek, Phil Maton and Huascar Brazoban.
The results were mixed, with Blackburn batting a series of injuries, Stanek and Maton contributing down the stretch in 2024, and Brazoban struggling that season but rebounding with a 3.57 ERA in 2025.
2024 DRAFT
The prize appears to be first-round pick Carson Benge, who is the Mets’ No. 2 prospect and in the mix to start in center field in 2026.
Left-hander Jonathan Santucci, the Mets’ second-round pick, is the Mets’ No. 14 prospect.
2024-25 OFFSEASON
Frankie Montas
After finding success with reclamation projects in 2024, Stearns tried that strategy again by signing Montas to a two-year, $34 million contract.
But that contract did not work out, as Montas missed the start of the 2025 season with a lat strain, and then pitched to a 6.28 ERA over nine appearances upon returning.
Montas’ season ended when he underwent elbow surgery in September. The Mets released Montas last month but still owe him $17 million in 2026.
Clay Holmes
The Mets’ creativity continued by signing the former Yankees closer to a three-year, $39 million contract, then converting him to a starting pitcher.
Holmes went 12-8 with a 3.53 ERA over 33 appearances (31 starts), though he pitched deeper than 5.1 innings only twice in his final 20 games.
Holmes and Montas replaced Severino and Jose Quintana from the 2024 staff.
Juan Soto
All of the previous moves pale in comparison to the Mets signing Soto away from the Yankees to a 15-year, $765 million contract, which remains the biggest deal in MLB history.
That move is largely viewed as a Steve Cohen signing, as the Mets’ deep-pocketed owner would not be denied.
Soto hit 43 home runs, stole 38 bases and finished third in NL MVP voting in 2025.
Manaea re-signs
After opting out of his initial Mets deal, Manaea returned on a three-year, $75 million contract last winter.
Manaea failed to recapture his 2024 magic last season, as he pitched to a 5.64 while oblique and elbow issues limited him to 15 appearances.
Winker re-signs
Winker signed a one-year, $8 million contract, but like Manaea, he was limited by injuries in 2025. Winker is a free agent again after hitting just .229 with a homer in 26 games.
A.J. Minter
The battle-tested left-hander signed a two-year, $22 million contract to be a high-leverage reliever, but Minter made only 13 appearances before undergoing season-ending surgery for a lat injury.
Stanek re-signs
The hard-throwing reliever parlayed a strong postseason into a one-year, $4.5 million contract with the Mets, but he struggled to a 5.30 ERA in 2025.
Griffing Canning
Canning’s one-year, $4 million contract looked like a steal until the right-hander (7-3, 3.77 ERA) suffered a season-ending Achilles injury.
Pete Alonso
Another move widely considered to be Cohen’s doing, Alonso re-signed with the Mets in February for two years, $54 million with an opt out.
After a resurgent season in which he hit 38 homers with 126 RBI, the homegrown first baseman, 31, opted out.
And on Wednesday, Alonso agreed to a five-year, $155 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles, ending his productive tenure with the Mets after seven seasons. More on that below.
2025 IN-SEASON MOVES
Gregory Soto
Envisioning a super bullpen, Stearns made a series of pre-deadline trades to add relievers on expiring contracts.
The first was the left-handed Soto, who posted a 4.50 ERA in 25 appearances after being acquired from the Baltimore Orioles.
Tyler Rogers
The Mets paid a hefty price to rent Rogers, sending the dependable José Buttó and prospects Blade Tidwell and outfielder Drew Gilbert to the San Francisco Giants.
Rogers recorded a 2.30 ERA in 28 appearances with the Mets — a half-run higher than what he had with the Giants. The submariner went 0-3 after the trade but had 10 holds against just one blown save.
Ryan Helsely
The biggest bust of the Mets’ deadline was Helsley, who was an elite closer with the St. Louis Cardinals but struggled as the Mets’ set-up man.
In 22 games with the Mets, Helsley posted a 7.20 ERA and went 0-3 with four blown saves.
Cedric Mullins
Mullins, too, never got acclimated after being traded by the O’s, as the center fielder batted .182 with two homers and eight steals in 42 games.
2025 Draft
The 2025 draftees have been in the system for only a few months, but second baseman Mitch Voit, the No. 38 pick, is the Mets’ No. 9 prospect.
2025-26 OFFSEASON
Trading Brandon Nimmo for Marcus Semien
After identifying run prevention — which includes defense — as the Mets’ top priority, Stearns traded the fan-favorite Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for Semien.
Semien, 35, won a Gold Glove at second base last season, but his offense has declined three years in a row, including in 2025 when he hit .230 with a .669 OPS. Semien has three-years, $72 million left on his deal.
While Nimmo, 32, had five years remaining, his departure removed 25 homers and 92 RBI from the Mets’ lineup and created a void in their outfield.
Devin Williams
Williams pitched to a career-worst 4.69 ERA with the Yankees last season, but the Mets banked on a rebound by signing the two-time NL Reliever of the Year to a three-year, $51 million contract.
Williams now becomes the Mets’ closer, as Diaz — a three-time Reliever of the Year — agreed to a three-year, $69 million contract with the Dodgers on Tuesday.
Exits of Diaz and Alonso
The Mets were said to offer Diaz a three-year deal worth $66 million with deferrals, but that had room to grow. Instead, Diaz became the second popular player to leave Queens this offseason.
The departure of the third, Alonso, ensured the Mets will look very different next season.
Teams have become more and more reluctant to give long-term contracts to righty-swinging corner infielders age 30 or older, and a bare market last winter paved the way for Alonso to return to the Mets in 2025.
But Alonso’s market was more robust after his big season — and now the Mets have his production to fill as the offseason progresses.
