Stearns: Mets simply ‘haven’t won enough games’
-
Jorge Castillo, ESPN Staff Writer
NEW YORK — With his team sinking in the standings, New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Tuesday that he will continue to practice patience before deciding whether to keep the roster intact for a postseason push or trade veterans at the July 30 deadline.
“Generally, the trade deadline becomes an inflection point in the season,” Stearns said, “and we’ve got plenty of time before that.”
The Mets entered Tuesday’s doubleheader against the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 22-30 record, 14.5 games behind the first-place Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East and 4.5 games from the third NL wild-card spot. They had lost 10 of their past 13 games and were 11-22 since catcher Francisco Álvarez tore a ligament in his left thumb last month.
All that losing despite carrying the most expensive payroll in Major League Baseball at over $300 million.
“We haven’t played like a playoff team,” Stearns said. “And I think that’s the reality of how we’ve played here through the first 50 games. That doesn’t mean we won’t, but we’ve got to show it and I think we have a group of players that is very committed to that goal. That is determined to play better. But until we show it, it’s a reasonable question.”
Stearns was hired last September. He inherited an expensive roster finishing up a disappointing season that included trading future Hall of Famers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander at the deadline.
The Mets’ struggles this season stem from their core players underperforming — or not playing at all.
Right-hander Kodai Senga, an All-Star and NL Rookie of the Year runner-up last season, was shut down with a shoulder injury during spring training and hasn’t thrown a pitch in 2024. He’s unlikely to return before the All-Star break after a recent setback. Álvarez, one of the sport’s top young catchers, has played in 16 games.
Shortstop Francisco Lindor, in the third year of a 10-year, $341 million contract extension, began Tuesday batting .210 with seven home runs and a .646 OPS. Left fielder Brandon Nimmo, in the third year of an eight-year, $162 million contract, was hitting .217 with a .760 OPS.
Meanwhile, first baseman Pete Alonso, a free agent after this season, was batting .230 with team highs in home runs (12) and OPS (.768).
“They have higher expectations of themselves,” Stearns said. “These are players who have really quality, and at times elite, track records in this league and that at periods of times some guys who have struggled. And great players, top players, fight through that. I think our guys will.”
Without a long-term deal in place, Alonso, a fan favorite and three-time All-Star, is one of several potential trade candidates Stearns could move for prospects.
“Nothing’s changed with Pete’s situation,” Stearns said. “Our goal is, on a daily basis, help this team succeed as much as possible so we can win as many games as possible. And that’s where I expect we’ll continue to be.”
Other veterans Steans could trade this summer include starting pitchers Luis Severino, Sean Manaea and Jose Quintana; outfielders Starling Marte and Harrison Bader; relievers Jorge Lopez, Jake Diekman, Adam Ottavino and Reed Garrett; and designated hitter J.D. Martinez.
The Mets have two months to avoid waving the white flag at the trade deadline for the second straight year.
“We haven’t won enough games,” Stearns said. “And we certainly recognize that that’s going to need [to] change.”
-
Greg Wyshynski
RALEIGH — Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said his players have to be smarter about retaliating against the Florida Panthers‘ trademark agitation.
“We know that’s how they do things,” he said on Wednesday, after Florida took a 1-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals with a 5-2 win. “Find a way not to let that get to you. Stick to what is going to win us games.”
At issue for the Hurricanes in Game 1 was center Sebastian Aho‘s roughing penalty against Florida’s Anton Lundell at 6:59 of the first period, which negated a Carolina power play and led to Carter Verhaeghe scoring the first goal of the game on a Panthers’ power play. Aho took a swing at Lundell after the Panthers center cross-checked him. The referees whistled the retaliation but not the initial stickwork that provoked it.
“I mean, the first penalty is bad call, right? You’re going to have those. But that’s my thing: Retaliation penalties are not going to get it done,” Brind’Amour said. “We did a pretty good job with [retaliation], but it just takes one. That’s my point. You can’t have that one, because that really puts you behind the game and now it’s different.”
The Hurricanes are 5-0 when scoring first in the playoffs and 3-3 when they don’t. Carolina’s penalty kill had stopped 14 of 15 power plays at home and 28 of 30 overall in the playoffs until Game 1, when Florida went 2-for-3 with the man advantage.
“They made us pay. It’s a good team that knows how to score goals and finds way to win games when you make mistakes,” Carolina captain Jordan Staal said. “We’ve got to limit those mistakes.”
Another example of the Hurricanes’ retaliation, though a less costly one for Carolina, came in the third period when defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere deliberately shot a puck at Florida forward Brad Marchand. In this case, the Panthers got the worst of it, as Marchand was given a double minor for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct.
“Just heated. I was pretty pissed off. He tried to take a run at me. I shot the puck at him. We had a little [tussle],” Gostisbehere said.
After Game 1, neither Panthers players nor coach Paul Maurice would discuss the incident in detail.
“It happens. It’s what it is. I mean, we block shots all the time, so what’s the difference?” Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad said.
That attitude extends to the Panthers’ composure on the ice. While the Panthers have earned their reputation as an irritating, physical opponent — attributes that helped them win the Stanley Cup for the first time last season — they can dish it out and take it.
Look no further than the Florida crease in Game 1, where the Hurricanes crashed the net of goalie Sergei Bobrovsky with frequency. At one point, forward Andrei Svechnikov‘s hip collided with Bobrovsky’s head. But the goalie wasn’t knocked off his game and his team didn’t retaliate.
“It’s OK. It’s the playoffs. They try to get under the skin. I just focus on my things and try not to think about that,” Bobrovsky said after his Game 1 win.
Maurice praised his netminder’s composure.
“Sergei’s not a kid. He’s been through it. He’s been bumped. He’s just developed a skill set that it just doesn’t bother him,” the coach said. “No one likes getting elbowed in the head, but it won’t be the first time or the last time.”
Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals is Thursday night in Raleigh. The Hurricanes have now lost 13 straight games in that round of the playoffs, including five straight to the Panthers.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business3 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway