Reese Kaplan -- So Maybe Mets Changes are A'Coming After All

I’ve been more than transparent about my disdain for the Mets President of Baseball Operations sitting back and doing pretty much nothing but waiting while the wheels have fallen off and the gas gauge is well past the warning line and smack in the middle of Empty. 

Don’t get me wrong.  I can’t blame Stearns for the multitude of injuries that have impacted the club’s dismal won/loss records.  He did not hit the ball that fractured Clay Holmes’ fibula.  He did not cause Francisco Lindor’s calf strain.  He did not break Ronny Mauricio’s thumb.  He did not force Juan Soto onto the IL for recovery time.  He is not responsible for Tyrone Taylor’s issue.  He did not do anything to Kodai Senga’s long term health.  These things are all simply part of the game as it is played.

Where you can get a little bit less understanding is in player selection.  Two of the 2026 newcomers had a long history of injury problems which made their acquisitions a bit overly optimistic because what if that trend continued once they put on Mets uniforms?  Sure enough, both Luis Robert and Jorge Polanco have missed more time than they have played yet they are tying up combined about $43 million dollars of Steve Cohen’s payroll budget to be on the bench as a result of their maladies.  Those choices are somewhat indicative of a less than stellar selection of player personnel.

Going forward, however, could there actually be a plan being put into place to relieve payroll pressure and set up the 2027 team for the success that’s eluded the 2026 squad.  This week combined reliever/starter Tobias Myers was somewhat surprisingly sent down to Syracuse after lately not having done his best work but he surely had not sunk to a Peterson level of ineptitude. 

Word soon filtered out that there could be a sliver lining to this seeming dark cloud over Myers’ career.  It is said that he’s going to take some time there to stretch himself out from a primarily relief pitcher role into being one capable of handling 5+ innings as a starting pitcher.  That decision if true suggests that perhaps the forward thinking gene has not completely gone comatose in Stearns’ head.  Making Myers available to start opens up the July trade market for starting pitchers currently on the Mets or soon to return from injury.

While the normal reaction to a Mets prospective trade transaction would be genuinely misguided with some version of dumping David Peterson who is an upcoming free agent for another team’s bag of balls.  However, he’s not the only one who has worn out his welcome here.

There is projected ace Freddy Peralta who is in the same boat for whom the Mets paid a price to acquire for his walk year.  His recent starts have not been quite the level he’d delivered in the past but his recent success and more importantly his health have made him a desirable rental for another team to spend player personnel to swap.

Sean Manaea is the toughest nut to crack and the swap of Peterson with him in the starting rotation is likely being done in the hopes that the poorly performing and high priced righty can string together June and July starts that are markedly better than what he’s shown in 2026.  If he uses these nine starts to demonstrate that there is both health and quality there, then it’s possible though less likely the Mets would find another team willing to take on Manaea not just for the balance of 2026 but also for the 2027 season.  Even if he managed to lower his ERA below 4.00 it’s going to be a bit of a tough sell given the remaining payroll commitment for the next 18 months.

Finally, there is everyone’s favorite target, Kodai Senga.  He’s doing rehab games right now and certainly has a much higher level track record in his American career than any of the others.  Health has been a bigger issue for him but his $15 million annual salary makes him a moderate cost for a guy with a career ERA 3.39.  The Mets are obligated to pay him for the remainder of this year as well as 2027 with an option for 2028 at the same rate.  If healthy he would be right up there with Peralta for the starting pitchers near easiest to move. 

In the absence of one or more of these pitchers the Mets are left with Christian Scott, Nolan McLean, maybe Jonah Tong, now Tobias Myers and whomever is left on the starting roster once trades are consummated.  Clay Holmes would be back at some time and some IL losses to Tommy John Surgery are also available next year if wanted.  They need some help.