sports
Mets President Stearns Says Team Will Give Itself Time to Contend
New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said June 23 the club will continue evaluating its playoff chances ahead of the August 3 trade deadline. The team fell to 34-44 after a loss to the Chicago Cubs and trails the final National League Wild Card spot by seven games.
Jun 24, 2:08 PM·1m read1 source
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New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said June 23 the club will continue to give itself time to contend for the postseason. The Mets dropped to 34-44 after a 9-6 loss to the Chicago Cubs that day and sit in last place in the National League East, 14½ games behind first place and seven games behind the final Wild Card spot.
Stearns identified August 3 as the cutoff for deciding whether to pursue the playoffs or shift focus to 2027.
He said owner Steve Cohen wants the team to perform better than its current results with a $375 million payroll and that both will withhold judgment on trade-deadline strategy until closer to that date. The Mets expect a boost later this week from shortstop Francisco Lindor, who has been on the injured list with a left calf strain since April 22.
Lindor, 32, is scheduled to play a rehab game for Triple-A Syracuse on June 23 and could be activated June 24 or 25.
669 OPS. Stearns said the team has a sense of urgency but cannot place everything on Lindor upon his return. 531 OPS on May 17. The Mets host the Chicago Cubs for a doubleheader on June 24.
