First NY Mets trade of the offseason is exactly what we’d expect from David Stearns

The New York Mets made a trade on Tuesday, their first official one of the 2025-2026 MLB offseason. It didn’t stop the presses or cause a delay in any election. In exchange for cash, the Mets added recently DFA’d Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Joey Gerber.

David Stearns has had a heavy interest in several Rays pitchers in his short time running the Mets. Gerber, a 28-year-old with 19 games of MLB experience, will join the Mets as an optional reliever they can test out in the spring and see if he’s worth joining their latest militia of bullpen arms.

It’s exactly what we would’ve expected from Stearns in every way possible.

Joey Gerber has been bad enough and also promising in other seasons to warrant a chance

Gerber pitched to a 6.23 ERA last year in Triple-A. Warning signs of him becoming the next Tyler Zuber to hardly get used at all by the big league club, it’s his 2024 season with the New York Yankees that feels far more agreeable.

In 33.1 innings at several levels, but mostly in Double-A and Triple-A, Gerber 2.43 ERA. Walks were hefty. It was something he actually improved upon greatly with the Rays this past year, much like many players they seem to acquire. In fact, Gerber had an 11.2 K/9 rate and acceptable 3.1 BB/9 this past year in Durham. Home runs are what hurt him most, giving them up at a rate of 1.9 per 9 innings.

The Rays used Gerber sparingly in the majors, giving him 4.1 innings of work where he allowed a run on 3 hits. It was his first time in the majors since 2020.

The remaining minor league option will give the Mets the power to stash Gerber in Triple-A this year with the hopes of utilizing him in the way they did many of their record-setting number of arms last year. Consider him a one-year project with a chance to either become their next Reed Garrett or an Alex Carrillo.

Stearns has regularly added players with underwhelming numbers to the organization in some capacity. Some have worked. Others have been absolute disasters. Either argument could be made with Gerber. He's likely to be one of those all-or-nothing types of relievers.