Key Takeaways
- • Steve Cohen publicly committed to retaining David Stearns as Mets President of Baseball Operations through the end of his five-year contract in 2028, despite the franchise sitting at 36-50 (last in NL East) as of July 2026.
- • Stearns' hiring in 2023 reflected Cohen's long-stated preference for elite front-office talent; during his Milwaukee tenure (2012-2023), Stearns guided a sub-.500 payroll franchise to two NL Central titles and four playoff appearances in seven seasons.
- • Cohen signaled that organizational changes will occur this season, but specifically ruled out replacing the front-office chief as a solution to the team's performance crisis and stated his commitment is genuine despite the franchise's disastrous record.
- • The timing of Cohen's statement coincides with structural constraints on front-office turnover: an impending economic lockout creates uncertainty that would complicate hiring decisions for a high-spending organization like the Mets.
Summary
Steve Cohen has moved to definitively end speculation surrounding David Stearns' job security despite the New York Mets' severe underperformance in 2026. In a statement to the New York Post, Cohen confirmed he has no intention of firing Stearns, the President of Baseball Operations, before the executive's original five-year contract expires in 2028. The announcement comes as the Mets entered July with a 36-50 record—the only NL East team below .500 and effectively out of playoff contention—and weeks after the dismissal of manager Carlos Mendoza fueled speculation that further front-office changes were imminent.
Cohen acknowledged that organizational changes are necessary to address the franchise's failures, but explicitly ruled out Stearns as a target for replacement. The owner characterized his commitment to seeing Stearns' contract through to completion as genuine, not merely a holding pattern. This positioning is significant given Cohen's well-documented pursuit of Stearns since acquiring the Mets in 2020; the owner actively recruited Stearns to New York in 2023 when he became available following his tenure with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Stearns' track record provided the rationale for Cohen's initial confidence. During seven seasons with the Brewers, Stearns directed a franchise that never fielded a top-half payroll to two division titles and four playoff appearances—a credential that distinguished him as the highest-caliber front-office executive available at the time of his hiring. That pedigree remains central to Cohen's stated rationale for organizational continuity despite the current crisis. The decision also reflects practical considerations: the looming economic lockout introduces uncertainty regarding player markets and franchise economics that would complicate any transition in leadership at a high-spending organization like the Mets.
The tension between Cohen's public backing of Stearns and the franchise's dire competitive position underscores the institutional challenge facing sophisticated owners in baseball operations. Even as fan and media sentiment turned sharply critical, Cohen's multi-year commitment signals that front-office stability—contingent on strategic adjustments rather than wholesale replacement—remains his operational priority through 2028.
Cohen acknowledged that organizational changes are necessary to address the franchise's failures, but explicitly ruled out Stearns as a target for replacement. The owner characterized his commitment to seeing Stearns' contract through to completion as genuine, not merely a holding pattern. This positioning is significant given Cohen's well-documented pursuit of Stearns since acquiring the Mets in 2020; the owner actively recruited Stearns to New York in 2023 when he became available following his tenure with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Stearns' track record provided the rationale for Cohen's initial confidence. During seven seasons with the Brewers, Stearns directed a franchise that never fielded a top-half payroll to two division titles and four playoff appearances—a credential that distinguished him as the highest-caliber front-office executive available at the time of his hiring. That pedigree remains central to Cohen's stated rationale for organizational continuity despite the current crisis. The decision also reflects practical considerations: the looming economic lockout introduces uncertainty regarding player markets and franchise economics that would complicate any transition in leadership at a high-spending organization like the Mets.
The tension between Cohen's public backing of Stearns and the franchise's dire competitive position underscores the institutional challenge facing sophisticated owners in baseball operations. Even as fan and media sentiment turned sharply critical, Cohen's multi-year commitment signals that front-office stability—contingent on strategic adjustments rather than wholesale replacement—remains his operational priority through 2028.
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