Mets Monday Morning GM: 2 reasons to trust David Stearns, 2 reasons to have doubts

Doubt David Stearns because this process may take longer than anyone is willing to give him

How long of a leash will Cohen give Stearns? Empty seats at Citi Field next season might be more in vogue. It’s something Cohen has accepted and so has a majority of the fans.

But what happens when 2025 is a bust? The target season for when the Mets are truly competitive again, there’s only so much “there’s always next year” the fans can accept. By the time we get to a 40-year World Series drought, even the most forgiving diehards will begin to wonder if they’ll ever see another parade.

Stearns tore the Brewers roster to shreds upon becoming the general manager. Some spectacular moves along the way helped to make them relevant. In only his third season as the general manager, they made it to the NLCS. It was their first playoff appearance since 2011 when they coincidentally also lost in the penultimate round of the playoffs.

Two years in a row without the playoffs is something Mets fans are accustomed to seeing. The stakes, however, are a bit higher than they were in past lean years. If the Mets miss the postseason again in 2024 and 2025, we will be looking down the barrel at a single trip and win after game 162 since Cohen took over.

Stearns believers will easily accept two years of missing the postseason. The question is where we eventually draw the line. Three? Four? Stearns has helped turn multiple franchises around. How patient will New Yorkers be if it takes longer than expected? Most importantly, how many years does Cohen keep him in charge?