David

Stearns

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns made it official during his end of season press conference that Mendoza will return after a disappointing 83-79 campaign where New York missed the postseason entirely. Mendoza has gone 172-152 (.531) in two seasons at the helm and figures to be on the hot seat next season considering Mets owner Steve Cohen’s desire to win and the club’s astronomical payroll.

Green, who managed the Padres from 2016-2019, decided to leave for New York after the Cubs fired manager David Ross earlier this month to hire former Brewers manager Craig Counsell. The 46-year-old, who served as Chicago’s bench coach for the last three seasons, will work in player development for the Mets. He reportedly interviewed for the Mets’ managerial vacancy before the club settled on Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza for the position.

Given that Kantrovitz is currently the Cubs vice president of scouting, his role with the Mets would likely be overseeing their amateur scouting and player development departments. With Craig Breslow leaving to join the Red Sox, the Cubs could be on the verge of losing two high-ranking front office officials at the outset of the offseason.

This was the first day the Mets could officially bring on Stearns after his contract with the Brewers ended. The 38-year-old Manhattan native spent seven seasons running the show in Milwaukee before stepping down and assuming an advisory role this year. Reports indicated that he’s getting a five-year, $50 million deal.

Stearns officially stepped down last October from his position as Brewers president of baseball operations after leading Milwaukee’s front office from 2015 to 2022. He stayed on this season as an advisor to baseball operations for the remainder of his contract, and will apparently take over as the head decision-maker for the Mets moving forward. There should be an official announcement from New York at the conclusion of the regular season.

Stearns recently stepped down as president of baseball operations, but he’s under contract for another year and the current plan is for him to serve as an advisor to Brewers owner Mark Attanasio and the baseball operations department. The Mets and Astros have been mentioned as possible landing spots for Stearns in the long-term, but barring a change of heart, the Brewers won’t let him explore opportunities for another year.

Stearns will remain in the organization as an advisor to ownership and the baseball operations department, at least temporarily. He’s been coveted by other clubs for many years, most notably the Mets, and all indications are that this a transitional move which will eventually find him joining a new team. “While I am disappointed that David is stepping down, I am grateful to David and know he has a very bright future,” Brewers owner Mark Attanasio wrote in a statement Thursday morning. Matt Arnold, who had been operating as the Brewers’ general manager under Stearns, will now take over the lead front office role in Milwaukee.

It was previously reported that the Brewers held a vesting option on Stearns for 2023, but now we know the details. If the Brewers don’t win the NL pennant in 2022, he will remain under contract with the team for another season. This is relevant information given the Mets’ interest in the New York native. The Brewers have denied the Mets permission to interview Stearns in each of the last two offseasons. New York has since moved on to Billy Eppler, but that doesn’t necessarily leave them out of the running if and when Stearns is on the open market.

This news comes soon after Arnold officially removed his name from consideration in the Mets’ ongoing search for a new president of baseball operations. Brewers president David Stearns has also been a rumored candidate for that role in Queens at various points, but it has never reached the interview stage. Stearns and Arnold will remain first and second in command, respectively, with the reigning National League Central champs.

The Mets were also denied permission to speak with Stearns last offseason, so it doesn’t come as a big surprise. Some thought maybe it would be different this time since Stearns only had one year remaining on his contract. Still, it’s another big name to cross off the list of potential candidates to lead the Mets baseball operations department. The Mets and Theo Epstein have already mutually agreed that it isn’t the right fit. Athletics executive VP of baseball operations Billy Beane continues to be mentioned, though there are conflicting reports about whether he’s a realistic possibility for the job. Dodgers executive Josh Byrnes previously declined an opportunity to interview with the Mets, but his name will surely come up again. And now that some of the big names are out of the mix, expect to hear a bunch of new candidates in the coming days.