The Mets may have just lost some breathing room in their search for help at the top.
Houston’s decision to fire Dana Brown on Monday after nearly four seasons as GM adds another big-market opening to the mix, and it lands in the same space the Mets are already expected to shop in. New York has spent almost three seasons without a true general manager, instead leaving President of Baseball Operations David Stearns to run the show and absorb the blame when things go sideways.
The timing matters because the Astros are now chasing the same kind of executive profile the Mets have been linked to. On FanSided’s podcast, Robert Murray said the Mets are likely to target someone from the Milwaukee Brewers’ front office. Bob Nightengale floated the same kind of names for Houston, saying the Astros will look at people from the Brewers, Cleveland Guardians, and Tampa Bay Rays to fill the vacancy.
That puts Stearns in a familiar lane. His ties to Milwaukee have already shaped parts of New York’s roster building, from trades to free-agent signings, and the search for a GM has the feel of looking for another version of himself. Stearns’ path has taken him from the Mets to Cleveland, Houston, Milwaukee, and back to New York.
So far, it hasn’t looked like the Mets made a serious push for a GM in previous offseasons. This one feels different after a second straight disappointment, because bringing in another voice would amount to Stearns acknowledging he was off. Steve Cohen’s recent comments suggest he sees Stearns as someone who can adjust.
"I'm committed to David... we're going to move forward. I thought we had a great trade deadline.
David is smart. He knows what he's doing.
He's very adaptable. He learns from mistakes.
That's what I want in a leader."
A GM hire would be one way for Stearns to show he understands the job needs more than one set of hands. It might still end up being a mirror image of the kind of executive he’s always been, but it would be a move in the right direction. Two heads, as they say, are better than one.
In Other News...
Clay Holmes Just Put The Mets In An Uncomfortable Free Agency Spot
Clay Holmes time with the Mets ended at the 2026 trade deadline, but the way hes talked about the club afterward suggests he did not leave with any lingering bad blood. He has spoken positively about his months in New York, which matters because the Mets are now left to wonder whether that goodwill will be enough to keep him in the picture once free agency opens.
The bigger issue is the fit around him. Chicago gives Holmes something New York could not match as cleanly: a stronger defensive environment, with the Cubs ranking among the leagues best in several fielding categories while the Mets have lagged behind, especially in the infield. For a pitcher whose value can hinge on balls put in play behind him, that kind of contrast could make the decision more complicated than the Mets would like. [Read more 🡒]
Not Every Mets Problem Belongs On David Stearns
The 2026 Mets have been learning, again, how much of a season can hinge on timing as much as talent. Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto have not had much chance to build the kind of repeated, game-to-game rhythm that usually turns a good lineup into a feared one, and that kind of friction can color everything around the club when the results wobble. Around the league, there are reminders too that even familiar names can stumble in new surroundings, whether it is Freddy Peralta struggling badly after landing with the Rays or Bo Bichette opening the year in a slump.
For Mets fans, the larger point is harder to ignore: not every disappointment can be pinned on David Stearns. Front-office decisions matter, of course, but so do player performance, health, and the way a roster actually functions once the games start and the calendar starts turning. The Mets are still sorting through a season in which the margins have been thin and the fit has not always been immediate, which leaves one obvious question hanging over everything else. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Prospect Billy Amick Is Already Facing A Bigger Triple-A Test
Billy Amicks rise through the Mets system has hit its first real speed bump since his move to Triple-A. After forcing the issue with a strong Double-A stretch, the power-hitting prospect has found the next level less forgiving, as opposing pitchers have exposed the same swing-and-miss concerns that made his bat such an important part of his profile in the first place.
Amick is still only five games into the assignment, so there is plenty of time for the numbers to change, but the early read is clear enough: Triple-A is going to demand more than raw power. The same goes for Ryan Clifford, another Mets power bat who is currently on the developmental list and trying to chart a path toward a big league roster spot, with both prospects needing more complete contact if they want their next step to come in Queens. [Read more 🡒]