1 thing David Stearns said that’s next for the NY Mets we’re not buying

We're still comprehending the fallout from the New York Mets' shocking trade with the Texas Rangers. Out is Brandon Nimmo, in is 2025 Gold Glove-winning second baseman Marcus Semien, and upward is the arrow on the infield's defensive stock.

There will be further ripples and consequences from a deal of this magnitude. The outfield picture, aside from Juan Soto, is now completely unsettled. Many other pressing holes still need to be filled. More moves are surely to come. But when it comes to a guidepost for what comes next, David Stearns might not be the best person to listen to.

We're in the heart of smokescreen season, so when Stearns says Jeff McNeil is part of the plan, and at first base, no less, one has to take the comments with a hearty grain of salt.

David Stearns' comments about Jeff McNeil's Mets future should have you skeptical

It was just a few days ago that the Mets were linked to a younger, more productive version of McNeil in St. Louis Cardinals' trade candidate, Brendan Donovan, and now we're not only supposed to believe that McNeil is a key part of the 2026 plan, but also at a position that he's played a whopping three innings at over his entire career?

Come on, now. Not only is that ridiculous, but it doesn't acknowledge just how poor a fit McNeil's offensive profile is for a bat-first position like first base. What's next? Starting Tyrone Taylor at designated hitter?

What's going on here is obvious. The Mets have been dying to move off of McNeil's contract for a very long time now. The $15.75 million they'll pay him in 2026 could go towards much more worthy causes if he were to be moved elsewhere. However, McNeil's market has been soft, and with Semien in the fold, the Mets have less leverage now than ever before.

There's another angle to Stearns' posturing. The Mets would like to have Pete Alonso back, but not at the seven-year mega deal he's seeking. By pretending that he's okay going into 2026 with McNeil as the primary first baseman, he's making a thinly-veiled, albeit flimsy, threat that Alonso needs the Mets more than they need him.

The last part here is about respect for McNeil. While McNeil has been accustomed to bouncing around the diamond throughout his career, trading for Semien is a huge blow to his pathway for playing time if the Mets are forced to keep him on the roster through 2026. McNeil's been a good soldier in Queens for many years now, so he deserved the heads-up about the move, as well as a soft landing, even if no one is buying it.