Category: MLB

There was universal shock on Tuesday after news broke that Edwin Diaz was leaving the Mets to sign a three-year deal with the Dodgers.

And that shock was not only felt by blindsided Mets fans, but by those in the industry who didn't see this coming and spent all afternoon trying to make sense of it in print and on video.

It was one thing that the Mets had lost Diaz, which was always a possibility, even though it felt remote. That they lost him on a three-year deal was bewildering. That they lost him on a three-year deal to the team they'll have to go through if they want to win a World Series was almost impossible to believe.

But here we are.

As far as what happened at the end of the process between the Mets and Diaz, that doesn't really matter. What matters is that they lost a negotiation for a player they wanted and needed, and also happened to be beloved by the fans.

With there being no indication that Diaz did not want to be a Met -- as alluring as the Dodgers are -- him leaving was truly puzzling.

The Mets needed to get it done, and didn't.

The loss of Diaz understandably dismayed and disoriented a fan base that was already reeling from the slow collapse that was the 2025 season -- one that resulted in an apology from owner Steve Cohen and candid self-reflection from president of baseball operations David Stearns. 

With the backdrop of Diaz leaving amid a so-far-underwhelming offseason, I thought back to this quote that Stearns gave on Sept. 29 in his end-of-season news conference:

"I think on a number of levels there are areas where we can probably be a little more proactive," he said. "And I can be a little more proactive. I think some of these lessons we're still investigating and still fully understanding various aspects of our team. But there are clearly times in the season, times over the offseason, where I can be a little bit more proactive."

You can say the Mets were proactive earlier this offseason while signing Devin Williams to give themselves cover in the event Diaz left. Aside from that? Not so much.

The Mets were unable to close the deal with Diaz.

There are reports that they are hesitant to extend beyond three years for Pete Alonso.

They are reportedly not inclined to offer what it takes to land any of the top free agent pitchers on the market.

As far as trades -- and this could very well change in the coming days -- they have yet to display the willingness to deal what it takes to land a difference-maker.

When it comes to Diaz, you can throw fan sentiment out the window regarding how the Mets were calculating this. That's because doing what it took to bring him back should've been an obvious baseball move. His return thrilling the fans would've been a bonus.

With Diaz gone, the attention now turns to Alonso.

And it can be argued that Alonso is an even more obvious baseball decision than Diaz should've been.

That's because, in the case of Diaz, the Mets protected themselves by signing Williams. And they can further bolster the bullpen by signing a late-inning arm like Robert Suarez or Pete Fairbanks, or trading for someone like Trevor Megill.

If Alonso leaves, where are the Mets turning for the power needed to protect Juan Soto?

It won't be Kyle Schwarber, whom the Mets were seriously interested in before he re-signed with the Phillies on Tuesday on a five-year deal.

You can talk about free agent outfielder Cody Bellinger as something of a replacement for Alonso in the lineup, but you won't be taken seriously if you do. That's because he doesn't come close to providing the power that Alonso does. And his offensive production has varied wildly from year to year.

As the Mets weigh how to proceed with Alonso, it's worth noting that In addition to Diaz, the club has also moved on from Brandon Nimmo this offseason. Trading Nimmo was reasonable, given his regression offensively and defensively, and the fact that there were five years remaining on his contract.

Losing Diaz was not understandable, and using the same tactic with Alonso that they used with Diaz is something the Mets can't afford to do.

That's not to say that they should hand Alonso a blank check.

If some team offers him six or seven years, it will be well within New York's right to walk away. But if this comes down to moving off their reported uncomfortability with extending to a fourth year, they should budge. And going to five years for Alonso -- if that's what the market bears -- would not be a crazy thing to do if needed.

You cannot let fan sentiment dictate what you do, but it has to be a factor. And if keeping a player is smart baseball-wise, the Mets should go the extra mile when those players want to stay and are loved by the fans. They should also make an effort to show those players how wanted they are, perhaps at times letting that break through the cold business of negotiations.

Here's what happened in Mets Land at the Winter Meetings on Tuesday, in case you missed it...

• In a shocking move,Edwin Diaz signed a three-year deal with the Dodgers
• With the Mets losing Diaz, the pressure is on David Stearns to deliver now more than ever
• How should the Mets reload the bullpen without Diaz?
• After missing out on Diaz, the Mets are among the most aggressive suitors for Robert Suarez
• The Mets could be "hesitant" to go beyond three years for Pete Alonso
• Mets target Kyle Schwarberis returning to the Phillies on a five-year deal
• Stearns said the Mets are "headed in an outstanding direction"
• Stearns is "very comfortable" with Devin Williams closing
• Williamsis ready to earn the closer role following Diaz's departure
• David Petersonis drawing interest on the trade market
• The Mets received the No. 27 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft
• On The Mets Pod, Connor and Joe reacted to the Diaz news
• WATCH: Stearns discussed the offseason plan
• WATCH: Williams talked about his expectations for 2026

How Tony Vitello hopes to improve Giants' NL West standing in his first season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Something that Tony Vitello doesn’t lack is personality. The Giants’ new manager was on brand when asked about the current state of the NL West at the MLB Winter Meetings on Tuesday in Orlando.

“These are the best players in the world,” Vitello explained. “With some of these big market teams or teams that are spending a lot of money, a lot of them are lumped together on one roster.”

Vitello was referring to the Los Angeles Dodgers, who always are near the top when it comes to spending. Vitello also mentioned an NL East team.

“With the teams in our division, or that are out there in general”, Vitello continued. “I don’t know what you’re supposed to say or not, sounds like the [Philadelphia] Phillies got better today.”

Kyle Schwarber officially signed a five-year contract worth $150 million to stay with Philadelphia on Tuesday. No matter who Vitello is up against, his goal remains the same.

“I think I want to do a good job,” Vitello said. “That’s always been my criteria. I think I’ve formulated it over the years, especially following my dad’s teams. With all due respect to him, I don’t think he could even effect what my opinion is of a good job, so that’s kind of what I’m going to hold myself to. I think if I am doing that, I’m helping in some form or fashion, but the players are the ones out on the field. There’s a whole group of people who’re going to be working to make the organization a winning one.”

San Francisco finished at an even .500 last season, which put them in third place in the NL West. Vitello is extremely direct about his goals for the year.

“Whether you want to call it making the playoffs or having success there,” Vitello continued. “Or coming close or having a better record than last year, I’ve never been a part of a big league season, so we’ll see. I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on here at both hotels we’re occupying.”

Vitello’s mindset is clear, day by day.

“Day in and day out, you have to compete against, and if you want to have success, beat, the best players in the world,” Vitello concluded. “As I said, the trend in all pro sports is a lot of them are now lumped together. The cliche is, ‘You’re going to have to beat the best,’ but at the end of the day, having success against those teams can come as a group as opposed to matching up man for man.”

The Giants made a huge splash before the trade deadline last season, and could look to improve the roster again throughout the offseason.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

Giants trade for former Athletics first-rounder Daniel Susac in Rule 5 Draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

ORLANDO — Earlier this summer, former Giants catcher Andrew Susac came out to a game at Oracle Park and caught up with the man he backed up for a couple of seasons. When Susac returns to San Francisco next season, it’ll be for a much different reason. 

The Giants on Wednesday traded for Daniel Susac, the younger brother of Andrew, who was Buster Posey’s backup in 2014 and 2015. Daniel Susac, 24, is a former first-round pick who was left unprotected by the Athletics ahead of the Rule 5 Draft. He was taken fourth overall by the Minnesota Twins and then sent to the Giants, who had tried to acquire him from the A’s earlier this offseason. 

As a Rule 5 pick, Susac must stay on the roster the entire season or else he must be placed on waivers and then offered back to their original team. That designation, plus the fact that the Giants gave up minor-league catcher Miguel Caraballo and cash considerations for him, makes him the early frontrunner to be Patrick Bailey’s backup on Opening Day. 

“I think he’s a candidate,” general manager Zack Minasian. “Obviously he’s going to have to come in and earn it, but obviously to take him shows what we think of him, and we definitely see him as a really strong candidate. We’re excited about where our catching depth is with him.”

Other than Bailey, the only other catcher on the 40-man roster heading into the Winter Meetings was Jesus Rodriguez, who was acquired from the New York Yankees at the deadline. The Giants love Rodriguez’s bat and his development defensively, but he has limited experience behind the plate. 

In Susac and Rodriguez, they now have two young right-handed hitters to compete for that job this spring and down the line. They might still bring a veteran in, too, but that is not anywhere close to the front of their wish list as they continue to search through the free-agent and trade markets. 

A Roseville native, Susac was taken 19th overall by the A’s in 2022. The Giants scouted him in high school and again at the University of Arizona, and Minasian said they see someone who is a plus defender behind the plate and has power. Susac historically has hit lefties well, which is needed as Bailey’s backup. 

Susac spent all of last season in Triple-A with the A’s and hit 18 homers with a .832 OPS in a hitter-friendly environment. He struck out 109 times in 360 at-bats, but A’s general manager David Forst said he made some strides defensively. 

The A’s have Shea Langeliers as their starter and Austin Wynns as their backup, so they took the risk of leaving Susac unprotected. Forst said he thinks his former first-rounder is ready for a look in the big leagues. He’s hopeful it works out for Susac, noting that this is the point of the Rule 5 Draft, which cost the Giants several of their own minor leaguers. 

“The catch-and-throw skills have gotten a lot better,” Forst said. “He may be challenged offensively. Vegas has a way of helping some guys’ numbers, but that’s the case with anybody in this situation. The bat will determine probably if he’s able to stick or not. 

“He has a chance to be in a good situation and they can get him good matchups and that’s when it does work out for guys, is when they have a specific role and fill it.”  

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

All-Star slugger Pete Alonso leaving Mets for Orioles in free agency: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Polar Bear is ditching Queens for Charm City.

All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso reportedly agreed to a five-year, $155 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles pending a physical, The Athletic’s Tim Britton and Ken Rosenthal reported on Wednesday.

Alonso spent the first seven years of his big league career with the New York Mets, racking up five All-Star selections, two Home Run Derby titles, a Silver Slugger Award and 2019 NL Rookie of the Year honors.

Alonso, who turned 31 years old on Sunday, was unable to reach a long-term deal with the Mets heading into 2025 and played on a $30 million deal. He finished the season with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs while slashing .272/.347/.524, earned his fourth consecutive All-Star bid and surpassed Darryl Strawberry as the Mets’ all-time leader in homers.

The Mets endured a monthslong collapse to close out the 2025 campaign, missing the postseason entirely after sitting atop the MLB standings in mid-June.

Alonso is the second All-Star to leave the Mets in as many days. Shutdown closer Edwin Diaz joined the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers on a reported three-year, $69 million deal on Tuesday.

As for the Orioles, the team is adding one of MLB’s premier power bats after finishing last in the AL East with a 75-87 record in 2025.

All-Star slugger Pete Alonso leaving Mets for Orioles in free agency: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Polar Bear is ditching Queens for Charm City.

All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso reportedly agreed to a five-year, $155 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles pending a physical, The Athletic’s Tim Britton and Ken Rosenthal reported on Wednesday.

Alonso spent the first seven years of his big league career with the New York Mets, racking up five All-Star selections, two Home Run Derby titles, a Silver Slugger Award and 2019 NL Rookie of the Year honors.

Alonso, who turned 31 years old on Sunday, was unable to reach a long-term deal with the Mets heading into 2025 and played on a $30 million deal. He finished the season with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs while slashing .272/.347/.524, earned his fourth consecutive All-Star bid and surpassed Darryl Strawberry as the Mets’ all-time leader in homers.

The Mets endured a monthslong collapse to close out the 2025 campaign, missing the postseason entirely after sitting atop the MLB standings in mid-June.

Alonso is the second All-Star to leave the Mets in as many days. Shutdown closer Edwin Diaz joined the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers on a reported three-year, $69 million deal on Tuesday.

As for the Orioles, the team is adding one of MLB’s premier power bats after finishing last in the AL East with a 75-87 record in 2025.

Red Sox offseason tracker: Rumors, signings, trades, and more originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox showed a lot of improvement in 2025. They made the playoffs for the first time since 2021 but lost to the rival New York Yankees in the American League Wild Card round.

This offseason is an important one for the Red Sox if they’re going to keep pace with the Yankees, the American League champion Toronto Blue Jays and the other top contenders in the sport.

The Red Sox have already made a few additions to their roster in recent weeks, including starting pitchers Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo.

Boston still needs to add another bat, especially one with power. One storyline to follow is whether the Red Sox bring back third baseman Aleg Bregman.

And with a strong farm system, will the Red Sox use any of their top prospects to make a major splash in the trade market?

Make sure you don’t miss any Red Sox rumors, signings, or trades throughout the offseason by following our tracker below for instant updates:

Dec. 10, 2025: Pete Alonso is spurning the Red Sox for another AL East club. The free-agent first baseman is finalizing a five-year, $155 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Dec. 9, 2025: The Red Sox announced Tuesday that Vaughn Grissom was traded to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for outfield prospect Isaiah Jackson. Jackson was the No. 25 ranked prospect in the Angels’ system, per MLB Pipeline.

Dec. 9, 2025: Right-hander Steven Matz has signed a two-year deal with the Tampa Bay Rays worth $7.5 million per season, per The Athletic’s Britt Ghiroli and Ken Rosenthal.

Dec. 4, 2025: The Red Sox acquired right-hander Johan Oviedo, plus minor league catcher Adonys Guzman and left-hander Tyler Samaniego, from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia and minor-league righty Jesus Travieso. Right-hander Cooper Criswell was designated for assignment to make room for Oviedo on Boston’s 40-man roster.

Nov. 25, 2025: The Red Sox acquired right-hander Sonny Gray and cash from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for right-hander Richard Fitts and left-hander Brandon Clarke.

Nov. 18, 2025: The Red Sox acquired infielder Tristan Gray from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for minor-league pitcher Luis Guerrero.

Nov. 18, 2025: The Red Sox dealt reliever Brennan Bernardino to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for minor-league outfielder Braiden Ward.

All-Star slugger Pete Alonso leaving Mets for Orioles in free agency: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Polar Bear is ditching Queens for Charm City.

All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso reportedly agreed to a five-year, $155 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles pending a physical, The Athletic’s Tim Britton and Ken Rosenthal reported on Wednesday.

Alonso spent the first seven years of his big league career with the New York Mets, racking up five All-Star selections, two Home Run Derby titles, a Silver Slugger Award and 2019 NL Rookie of the Year honors.

Alonso, who turned 31 years old on Sunday, was unable to reach a long-term deal with the Mets heading into 2025 and played on a $30 million deal. He finished the season with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs while slashing .272/.347/.524, earned his fourth consecutive All-Star bid and surpassed Darryl Strawberry as the Mets’ all-time leader in homers.

The Mets endured a monthslong collapse to close out the 2025 campaign, missing the postseason entirely after sitting atop the MLB standings in mid-June.

Alonso is the second All-Star to leave the Mets in as many days. Shutdown closer Edwin Diaz joined the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers on a reported three-year, $69 million deal on Tuesday.

As for the Orioles, the team is adding one of MLB’s premier power bats after finishing last in the AL East with a 75-87 record in 2025.

On a live episode of The Mets Pod presented by Tri-State Cadillac, Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo welcome The Athletic’s Will Sammon to the show from the MLB Winter Meetings in Florida. The guys react to the shocking departure of Edwin Diaz to the Dodgers, look at ways the Mets can build a bullpen with other parts, and examine what might come next for David Stearns and company with Pete Alonso, starting pitching, and so many more question marks floating around the organization. Later, Connor and Joe open the Mailbag to answer questions about Bo Bichette, Tarik Skubal, and much more.

Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Edwin Diaz news even caught Devin Williams by surprise. 

The newly signed reliever expected the Mets to be able to retain their star closer in free agency, pairing them to form a dynamic one-two punch at the backend of the bullpen. 

However, as things have played out, Diaz ended up taking slightly more money to join the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers on a three-year pact on Tuesday. 

Williams will now instead be handed the mighty tall task of filling the huge void left behind in the backend of New York’s bullpen following Diaz’s departure. 

While the 31-year-old is coming off a bit of an up-and-down campaign with the Yankees, David Stearnsvoiced his confidence in him taking over the role. 

“We’re very comfortable with that,” Stearns said. “I’ve seen Devin perform at a very high level for a long time. I have full confidence that he can be one of the best relievers in baseball. I think he’s very motivated to do that, and I’m looking forward to watching that.”

Though Williams is receiving the first shot with not many other experienced options on the roster as currently constructed, he knows he’ll still have to go out and earn the role. 

Whether he ends up with the ball in the eighth or ninth, he’s taking the same approach. 

“I’ve always looked at it as it’s the same job,” Williams said on SNY’s Mets Hot Stove from the Winter Meetings on Tuesday. “You’re going out there to get three outs, five outs, whatever it may be -- just whatever the team needs you to do.”

Stearns wouldn’t reveal if the team was still in the market for another backend bullpen piece, but he did say they’ll continue to build the bullpen in numerous ways. 

Robert Suarez and Pete Fairbanks are two of the top relievers remaining on the market. 

David Stearns had plenty to say on the second day of the MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando, and while he couldn't comment on Edwin Diaz's reported signing with the Dodgers, the Mets president of baseball operations did offer a message to fans, his optimism for the 2026 season, an outlook on the outfield market, and other insights on the offseason.

Message to Mets fans

“As we look at our organization, we are very optimistic and confident about where we are headed,” Stearns said during a conversation on Tuesday's episode of SNY’s Mets Hot Stove. “We have tremendous ownership support, we’ve got really good top-end talent at the major league level, and we’ve got one of the best farm systems in all of baseball. 

“And when you add all of that up, we are headed in an outstanding direction.”

But Stearns, the boyhood Mets fans, understands the fans’ displeasure, something he shares.

“I certainly understand that our fanbase is frustrated with how our season ended last year; we’re frustrated with how our season ended last year,” he said. “We didn’t meet our expectations, and we gotta do better than that.”

With the offseason bringing changes, Stearns admitted he also understands fans’ attachment to some long-tenured players who will be moving on to other clubs either through trades or free agency. 

“I also understand that our fans naturally have an attachment, as we do as well have an attachment, to players who have been here and have performed here for a long time. And we do take that into account, and it is part of the decisions that we have made,” he said. “We also have to be very cognizant of making the decisions that are going to allow us to compete now and also fit in with the future years when we want to consistently be a World Series-caliber team and World Series-caliber organization.

“And sometimes that leads to really tough, uncomfortable decisions. And we’ve had to make a couple of those over the course of this offseason.”

‘Always urgency’

On the second day of the meetings, is the Mets’ top baseball decision-maker facing a greater sense of urgency?

“I think there’s always urgency,” Stearns said. “I think we’re always trying to improve the team to the best of our ability, trying to make the decisions that are best for the organization. So I think we always feel a sense of urgency.”

On the Mets’ resources

With Steve Cohen showing he is more than willing to outlay money for players, Stearns was asked if that commitment from ownership makes it tough to stay disciplined when negotiating. 

"Our resources that we have here are an enormous advantage. As long as we allocate those resources intelligently, they're going to continue to be an enormous advantage,” Stearns said. “Steve gives us everything we need to have not only a great roster, but a competitive organization in every single respect. I think our players and coaches recognize that. 

“I have no doubt that we're going to continue to have the resources we need to compete at a very high level."

He added later: “I think we’re always weighing how certain transactions fit into the larger puzzle of the resources we have. We have a lot of resources; no team has unending resources, and I’ve said that before. 

“We’ve got all the resources we need, all of the payroll space we need to put a really good team on the field. That doesn’t mean it’s infinite, nor should it be. And so, every decision point – whether it’s a trade, whether it’s free agency – has constraints on it and we do our best to work with them in the context of what is a very heavily resourced and well-supported team.”

On roster continuity

With two long tenured Mets departing already this offseason – Brandon Nimmo in a trade and the Diaz's reported signing – Stearns was asked if he views it as a challenge to balance the need to improve with a desire to keep the continuity going.

“That is something, broadly, that we talk about a lot,” Stearns said. “We have a lot of those conversations; we’ve had them throughout this offseason, we had them throughout last offseason, as well, when we were faced with some decisions. And it is part of it.

“I’ve said this before, I can’t tell you I know exactly how to weigh that. I think we do our best to weigh the full impact of any player on our team, on our organization. And we make the best decision we can.”

On coaching turnover

The biggest spot of turnover so far this offseason came with Carlos Mendoza’s coaching staff. And Stearns was asked if he believed the departures could make the Mets a less desirable place for free agents to come to after a report indicated that Diaz was displeased with the departure of pitching coach Jeremy Hefner.

“From the feedback I have heard from players, is they are very excited to work with our coaching staff this year,” Stearns said. “We’ve brought in a number of very highly respected, well-thought-of coaches throughout the league. I think we’re gonna have a group that’s very excited to work with our coaching staff.”

On ‘robust’ outfield market

After the Nimmo trade, the Mets have a spot open in left field without an obvious choice, but several internal candidates, including Jeff McNeil and possibly prospect Carson Benge. With that being said, Stearns does see the outfield market as a robust one.

“Between what’s available in free agency and some of the names that are being talked about in the trade market, there’s a pretty robust group out there, there’s a pretty robust market,” he said. “And we’re gonna continue to explore that. And I also think we’ve got some really good internal candidates, as well.”

On what's down on the farm

Speaking of prospects down on the farm like Benge, Stearns said that "one of the exciting parts of our system" is that it isn't top-heavy.

"It's not just that top echelon of player, the guy that's on the cover of a magazine and talked about," he said. "We like those guys, as well, but then we look at Jett Williams, who's also a Top 100 prospect, [Ryan] Clifford, who's gonna be in Triple-A next year [and] a step away, A.J. Ewing, who has emerged as one of the top, dynamic prospects in all of baseball. 

"Not even to get into the arms that we have, that we're very excited about, who we began to see impact our major league team last year, and we think will continue to impact our major league team. We've got as deep a system as exists in baseball. We think we've got tremendous upside at the top of that system, and we're gonna begin to see those players really impact our major league team this year."

The Mets now know where they stand in next year's draft.

MLB had its annual draft lottery on Tuesday night and the Mets will pick No. 27 in the 2026 MLB Draft.

Despite their record, the Mets are picking that low because they exceeded the second CBT threshold, which docked the organization 10 spots. However, it may not affect much for the Mets, who have had some fast-rising prospects in recent years.

This past draft, the Mets selected second baseman Mitch Voit out of the University of Michigan with the No. 38 overall pick. Voit played 22 games in Low-A this past summer, where the 21-year-old slashed .235/.343/.294 with an OPS of .637 and one home run. 

The year prior, Carson Benge was selected with the No. 19 overall pick. The outfielder took a big step in the minors this season and could feasibly make the Opening Day roster in 2026. And then two years back, the Mets selected catcher Kevin Parada with the No. 11 pick and shortstop Jett Williams with the No. 14 pick. 

While Parada has not developed as fast as other prospects, he just put together his best minor league season, hitting 11 homers and driving in 57 runs while ending the year in Triple-A. As for Williams, he's thought of by many as one of the Mets' top prospects, including our own Joe DeMayo, who has the shortstop as the No. 3 prospect in New York's system. 

Williams hit 17 home runs and slashed .261/.363/.465 with an OPS of .828 between Double-A and Triple-A. 

The 2026 MLB Draft is set for July 11-12 in Philadelphia.

Speaking from the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns couldn’t comment on Edwin Diaz reportedly agreeing to a three-year deal with the Dodgers.

But Stearns did express his confidence in Devin Williams’ ability to step into the closer’s role.

“Yeah, and we’re very comfortable with that,” Stearns replied when asked if Williams would be the team’s closer at this very moment. “I’ve certainly seen Devin perform at a very high level for a long time. I have full confidence that he can be one of the best relievers in baseball. I think he’s very motivated to do that, and I’m looking forward to watching that.”

Williams, who signed a three-year deal with the Mets earlier this month, has plenty of history with Stearns, as the pair were together in Milwaukee before Stearns left to join the Mets, with Williams going on to pitch one season with the Yankees. 

As a member of the Brewers, Williams quickly established himself as one of the best relievers in baseball. The NL Rookie of the Year in 2020, Williams went on to win two NL Reliever of the Year Awards and made two All-Star teams, pitching to a 1.83 ERA with 68 saves over six seasons with the Brewers.

When Stearns and Mets signed Williams, they did so with options. Williams could be one of, if not the premier setup men in all of baseball behind Diaz, or – the option that has turned out to be the case – Williams could step into the closer’s role to take over for the now-Dodger Diaz. 

“I think when we go into an offseason, we have lots of different paths that an offseason can take,” Stearns explained. “We thought it important to bring in a reliever of really high quality. We’re really excited that we were able to do that with Devin Williams. We think he’s going to fit our club really well. I’m also confident we’re going to continue to add to the pen and have a very good one when we get to the regular season.”

“I’m very optimistic about where our offseason is headed,” Stearns added. “We’ve got, certainly, work to do, but there are a lot of good players out there, and I am confident that we’re really going to like where our team is when we get to opening day.”

While Stearns noted that the Mets obviously still need to add to their bullpen, he wouldn’t say specifically if the club was still in the market for a backend bullpen piece, with options like Robert Suarez and Pete Fairbanks among the most notable free agent options. 

“I think we’re having plenty of conversations,” he said. “I think there are different ways to build a bullpen, and we’re going to continue to explore all of them.”

Williams, of course, comes to the Mets with experience when it comes to playing in New York. And while his one season with the Yankees was forgettable, as he pitched to a 4.79 ERA and lost his closer’s role at one point, the 31-year-old is ready to take things to a new level in Queens. 

“He got pretty unlucky. The underlying ingredients were still really good,” Stearns said. “This can happen at times with relievers, where there’s an anomalous period of time, or an anomalous season. I think what excites me about Devin is, he’s not just saying, ‘Oh, I got unlucky last year.’ He’s saying, ‘I want to get better, and there’s another gear, and yes, I know my stuff last year was really good and the results didn’t necessarily reflect how good I was, but I can actually get better, and I can manipulate the ball a little bit differently.’

“And so, I think Devin is looking for another level, which is pretty cool.”

Even if Edwin Diazsimply chose to chase a ring in Los Angeles rather than stay the course in a quest to bring down the mighty Dodgers — and certainly the evidence points in that direction — the fallout is the fallout for the Mets and especially their president of baseball operations. 

That is, the pressure has never been higher on David Stearns to prove he’s more than a value-driven analyst whose moves can give the impression he tries to be too smart for his own good at times. 

That’s certainly the way a segment of the fan base views him these days anyway. Social media isn’t always the best way to measure the scope of such sentiment, but it would also be silly to ignore some of the anti-Stearns commentary on public platforms for the last few months. 

I’ve mostly defended Stearns during his time in Queens, willing to give him the benefit of the doubt after his prudent decision-making set the stage for the ’24 Mets surprising everyone by reaching the NLCS and taking the Dodgers to six games. 

But after his methodology failed him last season — partly because of injuries, to be fair — and he seemingly remains committed to not overspending, especially on starting pitching, I think it’s now fair to question Stearns’ process. 

Obviously there is a long way to go in this offseason, and indeed as I wrote last week, his first two big moves, trading Brandon Nimmo and signing Devin Williams, can only be judged on the follow-ups to each of them. 

In one case that meant re-signing Diaz to put Williams in a set-up role, which would have eased the burden of expectations as the closer that seemed to affect him mentally last season with the Yankees. 

So Stearns is 0-for-1 on that count. 

In the other case it means replacing Nimmo with some combination of moves to construct a better, more consistent offense than the one that exasperated Mets’ fans with its feast-or-famine nature in recent years. 

Whether that happens remains to be seen, but hearing Stearns at the Winter Meetings say that Jeff McNeil could play a lot of left field next season is not exactly the makings of an offensive juggernaut.

Maybe that was just press conference-speak. Stearns is not going to lay out his plans publicly, and McNeil is still on the roster, at least for now. So maybe he’s just playing the Bubba Crosby card, for anyone who recalls the winter Brian Cashman kept insisting the journeyman outfielder would play center field for the Yankees the following season… until he finally signed free agent Johnny Damon, as everyone expected all along.

Of course, that was a time, two decades ago, when the Yankees outspent everybody in baseball, and by a wide margin. 

To that point, though, Steve Cohen was believed to bring that level of win-at-all-costs philosophy to the Mets, and obviously he has spent a ton of money during his time as owner, most notably the $765 million to lure Juan Soto from the Bronx. 

Furthermore, who knows, maybe Stearns and Cohen will pull off a similar heist of Cody Bellinger in the coming weeks. Certainly that would go a long way toward making the team better in all facets of the game. 

But for the moment, the loss of Diaz makes the Mets worse, no way around it. And Cohen isn’t supposed to lose the best closer in baseball over a matter of a few million dollars here and there. 

Again, it could be that Diaz simply wanted to take the Kevin Durant path, if you will, choosing a championship team for three years and $69 million when the Mets were offering three for $66 million while conveying a willingness to go higher. 

Going much higher than that for a closer in his 30s would not have been a good business decision, but again, the priority under Cohen is supposed to be doing whatever it takes. After all, from Day One he declared he wanted to be like the Dodgers, not lose one of his best players to them. 

Still, this is mostly on Stearns now to prove he’ll make the right moves: at the very least, add another dependable late-inning arm to the bullpen, acquire a front-of-the-rotation starter, and, last but not least, re-sign Pete Alonso.

To that end, the Kyle Schwarber pipe dream ended on Tuesday as well, as the Philadelphia Phillies locked up their slugging DH for five years and $150 million.

Meanwhile, there is no indication the Mets are pushing to get a deal done with Alonso. And, hey, the strategy worked for them a year ago, as Stearns wound up waiting out his first baseman to get him at the short-term price he wanted.

Patience isn’t necessarily a bad thing in negotiations, but it just seems the Mets are in a position where they can’t take the same gamble as last year, when Alonso was coming off a down season of sorts and the fan base was ecstatic over the Soto signing.

How can the Mets possibly be better offensively in 2026 without Alonso? Even if they sign Bellinger, he doesn’t come close to supplying the same power production.

Meanwhile, Stearns apparently is committed to avoiding long-term contracts for free-agent starting pitchers this winter, and if that is partly with an eye on going all-out for Tarik Skubal a year from now, it’s hard to argue.

But the Mets aren’t winning a title in 2026 without upgrading their starting pitching. So will he take a chance on Michael King’s high ceiling, which won’t take such a long-term deal because of his history of injuries?

Will he pull off a trade for Freddy Peralta? Hey, if Stearns comes away with Peralta and Trevor Megill, as has been rumored, and does so without giving away his best prospects, Mets fans will love him.

We’ll see about all of that. More than ever, it’s about trusting that Stearns has a plan he can execute to make the Mets a team that can beat the Dodgers in 2026.

Diaz and all.