QUEENS, N.Y. — The moment is not lost on the level-headed, sometimes-analytically-driven David Stearns. Opening day on Friday afternoon at Citi Field was the 38-year-old’s first regular-season game in charge of his boyhood club, the New York Mets, as their president of baseball operations.
“I thought about it before I went to bed last night, thought about it driving in this morning, pulling in[to Citi Field],” Stearns said on Friday before the first pitch of the new season. “So absolutely, that’s run through my mind a lot over the last 24 hours.”
After nine seasons working up the ranks of the Milwaukee Brewers, ultimately becoming their president of baseball operations, the New York City native made the jump to his hometown team just two days after the 2023 season, which ended a years-long pursuit by owner Steve Cohen to stabilize the club’s front office.
“This is an exciting day,” Stearns said. “Opening Days are always exciting. It’s a great day for reflection about the game, the prospects ahead, so I always enjoy Opening Day. Certainly, to do it with this organization now for the first time in this position brings a little extra meaning to it.”
As luck would have it, his first games in charge of the Mets come against his ex-club, the Brewers, which is something he learned about days after taking the job.
“It’s a little unique but it’s fun to see some of those guys over there,” Stearns said. “Obviously I have some tremendous relationships, I have a lot of respect for what they do, what they built, and have great friendships over there. It’s fun to see them.”
The pomp and circumstance will wear off quickly, though, and the highly-regarded executive will be tasked with keeping the Mets competitive in 2024 before showing more aggression toward a World Series in 2025. Most of his signings are low-risk, high-reward options with plenty to prove at the MLB level. His first major deal did not come until last week when he brought in veteran slugger JD Martinez.
Expectations are muted this season but Stearns and Cohen are still expecting a playoff push.
“You want to see a team camaraderie and a team energy that you think is consistent and can lead to winning baseball,” Stearns said of what he wants to see from his Mets early on. “I felt like we had that in spring training so I’m eager to see how we carry that over into the regular season.”
For more on David Stearns and the Mets, visit AMNY.com
