Stearns: Mets simply ‘haven’t won enough games’
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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.”
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Jake Trotter, ESPN Senior Writer
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan star tight end Colston Loveland has been ruled out of Saturday’s game against No. 11 USC with an undisclosed injury.
Loveland suffered an apparent shoulder injury in last weekend’s win over Arkansas State. Michigan coach Sherrone Moore hasn’t specified the nature of the injury.
A preseason All-American, Loveland leads the Wolverines with 19 catches for 187 yards; no other Michigan pass catcher has more than nine receptions.
The No. 18 Wolverines also changed starting quarterbacks this week, moving from Davis Warren to Alex Orji. Warren had thrown six interceptions in three games, including three last weekend. He threw two picks in a 31-12 loss to Texas on Sept. 7.
Orji has only seven career passing attempts but has rushed for 58 yards in a relief role this season.
Moore said this week that he wants to see Orji “take the reins” of the Michigan offense with his opportunity.
“Excited for him,” Moore said. “I know he’s chomping at the bit.”
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Jeff Passan, ESPN
The Washington Nationals demoted All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams to the minor leagues after he stayed out all night at a Chicago-area casino, leaving only hours before a Friday day game against the Chicago Cubs, sources told ESPN’s Jesse Rogers.
The 23-year-old Abrams led off for the Nationals and went 0 for 3 with a walk and strikeout in Friday’s game, which started at 1 p.m. CT. He was informed of the demotion Friday night, sources said. He will be sent to West Palm Beach, home of the Nationals’ minor league complex.
Because Abrams has been with Washington for the entirety of the season, the demotion will not affect his service time. Players earn a full year of service with 172 days on the major league roster, and Abrams already has exceeded that threshold.
Abrams could, however, file a grievance through the Major League Baseball Players Association to fight for lost pay if he believes the demotion unjust. He would lose around $30,000 of his $752,000 salary for missing the season’s final week. Abrams will be arbitration-eligible this winter, entering the system for the first of four times as a Super 2.
Acquired as one of the centerpieces of the Juan Soto trade two years ago, Abrams parlayed a breakout first-half into an All-Star selection, hitting .268/.343/.489 with 15 home runs and 15 stolen bases over the Nationals’ first 89 games. He struggled significantly in the second half, slashing .203/.260/.326, and Abrams’ defense has been a weakness throughout the season.
Still, the Nationals did not intend to send him to the minor leagues until they learned of his time spent at the casino, which was first reported Friday by CHGO.
“I just want it to be known it wasn’t performance-based,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez told reporters Saturday. “It’s an internal issue. I’m not going to give specifics.”
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Pete Thamel, ESPN
Utah quarterback Cam Rising is a game-time decision with an injury to his throwing hand, sources told ESPN, with the expectation that he will attempt to start.
No. 12 Utah plays at No. 14 Oklahoma State on Saturday, one of the biggest games of the season in the Big 12.
Rising has been limited in practice this week with the injury, and he is not expected to be 100% if he does play. He will be monitored closely to see how his injured fingers impact how he throws. The fingers play a huge role in both spin and velocity, which will impact his effectiveness in the passing game.
He injured his hand Sept. 7 against Baylor in the second quarter when he threw a ball away and was pushed out of bounds and landed awkwardly on the water coolers on the Bears sideline.
Rising warmed up with a glove on his hand before last week’s game against Utah State but did not play, and he was spotted with two fingers wrapped on the sideline against Baylor. It’s uncertain if he will use the glove on Saturday.
Utah’s offense plays a majority of its snaps under center and uses clapping as a mechanism in its snapping operation, which would both stress the fingers.
Backup quarterback Isaac Wilson is a true freshman who made his first career start against Utah State, going 20-of-33 passing for 239 yards and three touchdowns. He took first-team reps in practice this week when Rising wasn’t out there.
Wilson is the brother of former BYU quarterback Zach Wilson, who now plays in the NFL for the Denver Broncos.
Rising is a seventh-year senior who had emerged as one of the Pac-12’s top quarterbacks in 2021 and 2022. He has been snakebit by injuries in recent seasons, as an injury in the Rose Bowl following the 2022 season ultimately led to him missing the entire 2023 season.
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