I don’t understand letting Alonso leave. How does replacing our lifetime first baseman, even if he is a mediocre fielder, with someone who had 1 inning at the position support run prevention! Not to mention, giving up Alonso’s run production. Additionally we have 2 holes in the outfield. Taylor, in centerfield, supports run prevention but does not give the Mets much offense and I don’t know the plan for left field.
Pass on Arraez. We need pop, not slap. Bellinger checks some boxes, but if he's looking for Aaron Judge money as it's been rumored, pass there, too.
What's killing me is how good Pete's contract with Baltimore looks in the current market. And he's just 31. It's not like giving him five years means eating high-priced low production from a dude pushing 40 on the back end of the deal.
I'll never understand how we couldn't get there, or why we wouldn't want to. And now, amazingly, we're looking for a right-handed stick and can't find one.
It's so frustrating. I really, really hope there's a plan to lock in a new core around Soto — guys who are around his age and can hang with him over the next five-to-seven years. Tucker fits that profile. But I thought the Polar Bear did, too.
And can you imagine if we had kept Alonso at first and signed Tucker for a corner outfield spot? How does the heart of the lineup look with those two plus Soto and Lindor?
I feel Mauricio gets a look at first. He’s tall and has the hands to easily slide over there. If Stearns misses on every FA I’d look for scrap heap guys like Goldsmidt to be added. I don’t think this ends well this season
Pete was the worst defensive 1b in baseball for the last two years, per the metrics and the eye test.
He has never figured out when to go for a ball to his right, and when to let it go
He has no range going to his right, and it is worse when he holds a runner.
He cannot throw the ball, and does not know when and where to throw the ball
Add that he is the worst baserunner I have ever seen - not because he is slow, but because he has not baseball instincts.
These reasons are why his WAR is so low, and why the Mets let him go.
To me, his post-game comments are so gooberish and absurd, I will not miss them.
On a serious note, even given all these flaws, the Mets should have kept him.
Where I disagree is on Polanco. It is almost a certainty he will be better defensively than Pete at first base. Why? He came up as a shortstop, has good hands, and knows how to play the game.
It will not be close. Of course, he cannot hit for power like Pete, and that power really makes the rest of the lineup better. 5 years for 30 per year should have happened for Pete with the Mets
If the New York Mets are in the range of offering $120 million to $140 million for three years to free-agent outfielder Kyle Tucker, as league sources on Tuesday suggested is the case, the question is whether that will be enough.
It is possible that the Toronto Blue Jays or the Los Angeles Dodgers, two other contenders for Tucker, offer more than New York. It is also possible that the Mets could go up, but they’ve shown a desire so far this offseason to act with some level of discipline.
Today's column does a very effective job of exposing the numerous illogical and inconsistent things the Mets have done this winter. One head scratcher on top of another. I thought Stearns and Cohen were two very brainy guys but it's looking more and more like they outsmarted themselves. As stated by Mr. Rogers below, it's very frustrating.
You're missing that Eugenio Suarez can replace Alonso's power and be a backup plan at 1B for Polanco. A short-term contract does it, and Clifford is waiting in the wings.
Its starting to look like the Mets are the sports version of the bride's maid but never the bride's. Considering SP begins in a month, Sterns is being casual with filling out his roster. Almost too casual.
I don’t understand letting Alonso leave. How does replacing our lifetime first baseman, even if he is a mediocre fielder, with someone who had 1 inning at the position support run prevention! Not to mention, giving up Alonso’s run production. Additionally we have 2 holes in the outfield. Taylor, in centerfield, supports run prevention but does not give the Mets much offense and I don’t know the plan for left field.
Pass on Arraez. We need pop, not slap. Bellinger checks some boxes, but if he's looking for Aaron Judge money as it's been rumored, pass there, too.
What's killing me is how good Pete's contract with Baltimore looks in the current market. And he's just 31. It's not like giving him five years means eating high-priced low production from a dude pushing 40 on the back end of the deal.
I'll never understand how we couldn't get there, or why we wouldn't want to. And now, amazingly, we're looking for a right-handed stick and can't find one.
It's so frustrating. I really, really hope there's a plan to lock in a new core around Soto — guys who are around his age and can hang with him over the next five-to-seven years. Tucker fits that profile. But I thought the Polar Bear did, too.
And can you imagine if we had kept Alonso at first and signed Tucker for a corner outfield spot? How does the heart of the lineup look with those two plus Soto and Lindor?
Oh, Jeez. Letting Alonso go looks stupider and stupider by the day. Last two sentences: daggers to my heart.
Arráez is a good suggestion for the Mets' top of the lineup.
I feel Mauricio gets a look at first. He’s tall and has the hands to easily slide over there. If Stearns misses on every FA I’d look for scrap heap guys like Goldsmidt to be added. I don’t think this ends well this season
If Tucker and Valdez/Suarez aren't signed, it's a 75-80 win team.
Stearns cant shake the Milwaukee bargain bin mindset.. We must simply accept that this '26 version will be weaker than last years.
I've been a Stearns defender and your accusation is a common one. I'm starting to think there's something to it.
Pete was the worst defensive 1b in baseball for the last two years, per the metrics and the eye test.
He has never figured out when to go for a ball to his right, and when to let it go
He has no range going to his right, and it is worse when he holds a runner.
He cannot throw the ball, and does not know when and where to throw the ball
Add that he is the worst baserunner I have ever seen - not because he is slow, but because he has not baseball instincts.
These reasons are why his WAR is so low, and why the Mets let him go.
To me, his post-game comments are so gooberish and absurd, I will not miss them.
On a serious note, even given all these flaws, the Mets should have kept him.
Where I disagree is on Polanco. It is almost a certainty he will be better defensively than Pete at first base. Why? He came up as a shortstop, has good hands, and knows how to play the game.
It will not be close. Of course, he cannot hit for power like Pete, and that power really makes the rest of the lineup better. 5 years for 30 per year should have happened for Pete with the Mets
The Athletic, Jan. 13, 2026Updated 12:27 pm EST:
If the New York Mets are in the range of offering $120 million to $140 million for three years to free-agent outfielder Kyle Tucker, as league sources on Tuesday suggested is the case, the question is whether that will be enough.
It is possible that the Toronto Blue Jays or the Los Angeles Dodgers, two other contenders for Tucker, offer more than New York. It is also possible that the Mets could go up, but they’ve shown a desire so far this offseason to act with some level of discipline.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6966256/2026/01/13/kyle-tucker-mets-possible-contract-offer/
Today's column does a very effective job of exposing the numerous illogical and inconsistent things the Mets have done this winter. One head scratcher on top of another. I thought Stearns and Cohen were two very brainy guys but it's looking more and more like they outsmarted themselves. As stated by Mr. Rogers below, it's very frustrating.
You're missing that Eugenio Suarez can replace Alonso's power and be a backup plan at 1B for Polanco. A short-term contract does it, and Clifford is waiting in the wings.
Its starting to look like the Mets are the sports version of the bride's maid but never the bride's. Considering SP begins in a month, Sterns is being casual with filling out his roster. Almost too casual.