Mets' Stearns owns roster mistakes after last-place finish in NL East

New York's president of baseball operations took responsibility for a last-place season and addressed Pete Alonso, injuries, pressure and pitching needs.

New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns held his end-of-season news conference Monday, facing questions about a 2026 season that ended with a last-place finish in the NL East and a second consecutive playoff absence despite a hefty payroll and lofty expectations. He spent the session accepting blame for how the roster was constructed while insisting the organization still has a base capable of winning.

Stears did not try to soften the letdown. "The disappointment of this season is very true and real. I feel that, we as an organization, feel that, our fan base feels that," he said, adding, "There is also the real foundation here for the level of success and competitiveness that we expect to have, and that is also real." He cited improved cohesiveness after Andy Green replaced the fired Carlos Mendoza in the dugout, young players who developed as the year progressed, and a 34-31 record after the All-Star break.

An early swoon did most of the damage. The Mets dropped 12 straight at one point and lost Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor to injuries, a combination Stearns described as close to a worst-case outcome. "We and I made a number of decisions that created the potential for almost an uncapped downside scenario," he said, pointing to the sheer volume of change — which he said lands differently in New York than in other markets — and to roster pieces that lacked the flexibility to allow fixes once underperformance set in.

Fans have called for Stearns to be dismissed both at the ballpark and online, and he was asked whether he feels urgency to reverse the trend. "I'm always under pressure," he answered. "My job is to put a winning team on the field every year," a responsibility he said has not changed since his introductory news conference.

Pete Alonso's exit hovered over the discussion. The first baseman signed with the Orioles in free agency and delivered a career year, while the Mets never found a dependable answer at his old position. "The truth is, in this job, I don't get mulligans. I also recognize that Pete had a tremendous year, and the totality of our production at first base wasn't good enough," Stearns said, calling it his job to deliver better results across the roster and at first base for a full season.

The challenge of playing in New York surfaced repeatedly, and Stearns acknowledged it as real, saying he will weigh more carefully which free agents can handle the sport's biggest stage. "This is a unique place to play. It's different here," he said, describing winning in the city as the greatest feeling in the world, the lows as equally extreme, and certain players as prone to struggling with that dynamic.

Even a signature phrase came under review. "I think I'll retire the phrase run prevention. I don't know if that one wore particularly well," Stearns said, while noting the team's pitching and defense were far better in the second half than in the first.

Rebuilding the rotation is a stated priority. "I do think it's necessary to add to our starting rotation," Stearns said, outlining multiple paths to do it, a long-term goal of developing top-of-the-rotation arms, and a need for more options plus the flexibility to acquire them when necessary. On health, he said the club is reexamining everything, including spring training ramp-ups, and that changes are likely.

Several decisions remain open. Stearns again declined to commit to hiring a general manager while praising the recent front-office addition of Derek Falvey, and said coaching staff additions would be discussed with Green in the coming days. He has not yet spoken with Bo Bichette about the infielder's player option, and Kodai Senga's role will be settled during next year's spring training, with Stearns saying, "We need a level of production in whatever role he's going to be in to contribute to a winning team." Reliever Devin Williams, healthy again after logging innings late in the year, is expected to be a significant part of the back end going forward alongside younger arms who emerged over the final months.