David Stearns’ first big move this offseason may set the tone for everything that follows, and the Mets can’t afford to drag their feet.
After back-to-back seasons without a playoff berth, Stearns is operating under heavier scrutiny than ever. Owner Steve Cohen has said the team remains committed to him through the end of his contract, which runs through 2028, but the patience clearly isn’t endless. Cohen made that plain before the 2026 season when he said, "Every year that goes by, I get frustrated."
That’s the backdrop for a winter that already feels loaded with consequence. Stearns’ reputation is very much in play, and his end-of-season comments pointed to the same place the Mets have to start: the rotation.
He called adding to the starting staff "necessary," and he wasn’t wrong. Teams need 10 to 12 starters across the majors and minors to survive a full season, and the Mets still need more help even with a promising group of young arms in the system. Realistically, they could use two more big-league starters, including an ace.
Tarik Skubal is the headliner, and New York is expected to be aggressive in that chase. But pitchers of that caliber usually come off the board later, and the Mets shouldn’t wait around for the market to settle before making their first move.
The smarter play is to lock in a dependable mid-rotation arm early. That would let the Mets fill one major need before the market thins out and the price tags start climbing, which always seems to happen as the winter drags on.
Stearns is likely to prefer a short-term commitment, probably two years or less, with three years as the ceiling for the right pitcher. That makes the field fairly clear.
Clay Holmes stands out as the cleanest fit. He already succeeded over a season and a half in New York, but his strong year could also make him expensive. If another club is willing to go to a fourth year, the Mets may be squeezed out.
If Holmes becomes too costly, the next wave includes Kevin Gausman, Tyler Mahle, Robbie Ray, and Walker Buehler. Each comes with some level of risk, but each has also shown real success at different points and could fit the kind of short-term, upside-driven deal Stearns seems to favor.
Getting that first starter in place would give the Mets more room to breathe everywhere else. They could still go hard after Skubal, but without the burden of needing multiple rotation fixes late in the winter.
If they land him, the rotation gets a major boost. If they miss, they’d still be positioned to pivot to the next best option without leaving themselves with too many holes.
That fallback could come via trade, with Logan Gilbert or George Kirby of the Seattle Mariners mentioned as possibilities, along with Joe Ryan of the Minnesota Twins.
And once the rotation picture is clearer, the Mets can turn more attention to the rest of the roster. First base is one area to watch, especially with Japanese star Teruaki Sato emerging as a potential target. Once Sato is posted, he’ll have a 45-day window to sign, which gives his market time to develop.
Stearns has been willing to let the offseason come to him before. Last winter, the Mets were quiet until January, when they signed Bo Bichette and traded for Freddy Peralta and Luis Robert Jr.
This time, though, getting ahead of the curve could make everything else easier. With so much on the line, the Mets can’t really afford to get the opening move wrong.
In Other News...
Mets May Be Eyeing A Rotation Gamble They Know Too Well
The Mets are already thinking ahead to the post-2026 rotation picture, and it is easy to see why. Nolan McLean, Christian Scott and Zac Thornton give the organization some younger arms to work with, but a staff built around prospects usually still needs a veteran stabilizer, especially if the club wants to keep its window open and avoid leaning too hard on unproven depth.
One name that has surfaced is Tyler Mahle, whose recent performance makes him appealing on paper even as his injury history remains part of the conversation. For the Mets, the attraction is obvious, but so is the danger of chasing a pitcher whose availability has been a question before, which is why any serious push would need a credible backup plan if the Braves starter proves too risky to trust as the answer. [Read more 🡒]
Former Mets Arm Is Giving Fans A Trade Deadline Gut Check
The Mets long view this week stretches well beyond the standings, with one familiar arm offering a reminder of how quickly a roster decision can echo into October. Freddy Peralta, who was dealt from the Mets to the Tampa Bay Rays, spoke about the move and sounded content with the new role he has carved out in the ALDS, a tidy little gut check for anyone still wondering what might have been.
At the same time, the organizations future is still taking shape elsewhere, as prospect Cole Mathis is unveiling a new hitting stance in the Arizona Fall League. Between that development track and the broader postseason action, with the Dodgers beating the Braves and the Brewers topping the Padres, it is another snapshot of how one franchises present and future can overlap in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Deadline Haul Already Features One Prospect Fans Will Obsess Over
The Mets did more than patch a roster at the trade deadline, they also added a crop of prospects who give the organization some real long-term intrigue. Among the names that landed in the system were Aidan Smith, Gabe Davis, Emilien Pitre, Billy Amick and Jefferson Rojas, a group that already gives the front office a few different developmental paths to watch as the minors fill out over the next few seasons.
Rojas stands out at the top of that list because the upside is easy to see, especially for a club that has been searching for young infield talent to keep moving forward. The evaluation around the group is less about immediate help than future value, but Rojas has emerged as the one to circle most closely, with a possible path to taking over at third base in 2027 if everything develops the way the Mets hope. [Read more 🡒]