David Stearns is denying every NY Mets fan what they want most

To say that the New York Mets have been frustrating would be an understatement. After shocking MLB with one of the best staff ERAs through the first month of the season, injuries and regression have hit them hard. This has caused the Mets to lean on their depth, specifically Paul Blackburn, much to the dismay of many fans. In 18 2/3 innings, he has a 7.71 ERA with 15 strikeouts, seven walks, a 1.982 WHIP, and an ERA+ of 50.

However, Blackburn will not be able to take his turn in the rotation any time soon, as he was placed on the injured list with a shoulder impingement. This prompted many fans to want to see one of the many top pitching prospects the Mets have, an idea that David Stearns immediately dismissed. But if the Mets want to bring stability to their staff, they need to give one of these prospects a shot.

The time has come to give one of the pitching prospect a shot at a roster spot

One of the biggest storylines of the 2025 season for the Mets has been the performance of their pitching prospect. Coming into the season, Brandon Sproat was the guy everyone was talking about. However, just three months into the season, there are several prospects Mets fans should be excited to watch, the most notable being Nolan McLean and Jonah Tong. Both of these pitchers have earned a chance to get called up for a spot start.

McLean is currently the fourth-best prospect in the Mets system according to MLB Pipeline. He started the season in Double-A, where he pitched to a 1.37 ERA over 26 1/3 innings with 30 strikeouts, 12 walks, a 1.22 WHIP, and held opposing batters to a .213 average. That earned him a call-up to Triple-A, where, in 49 2/3 innings, he has an ERA of 2.72, with 45 strikeouts and 22 walks, a 1.13 WHIP, and an opponent batting average of .191.

Tong is one of the biggest climbers on the Mets' prospect list, going all the way to the second-best prospect in the Mets system. He's been lights out for Binghamton this season, pitching to a 1.73 ERA over 73 innings, with 115 strikeouts to 33 walks, a 0.92 WHIP, and has held opposing batters to a .137 average. He has also earned Eastern League Pitcher of the Month in both May and June.

The Mets' starting pitching depth is already stretched pretty thin. At this point the Mets will have to lean on guys who are not major league caliber arms to eat up innings. Giving one of these prospects a start gives them a chance to show they belong in the organization. If they struggle, you can send them back down, knowing they need a little more time. However, if they pitch well, they could be the missing piece the Mets need to get back to where they were at the start of the season.