3 big decisions for David Stearns to make when the season ends

2) What’s the plan for Pete Alonso?

Keep him, right? We’d like to think Stearns would avoid riding into Flushing on a white horse with plans of trading Pete Alonso away. It wouldn’t be a good start to his tenure. Sure, he could win a deal involving the Polar Bear, but it would get a lot of fans angry first and as much as you never want to listen to the fans, we’re the ones who matter most.

It would be a surprise for Stearns to have nothing but intentions of trading Alonso unless he’s some sort of a double agent who has worked his entire career to screw over the Mets and he’ll end up sending their best power hitter ever to the Milwaukee Brewers. It’s the kind of twist you could only ever see in a Naked Gun movie.

Stearns is coming to the Mets with a clean slate. Fans are already on his side. He can ruin it quickly by making some questionable maneuvers, none more obvious than Alonso whose trade rumors from the summer gave us all a few gray hairs.

Trading Alonso away likely means more of a step backward for the Mets altogether in 2024. This team is missing a power hitter in its lineup, not swimming in them. It’s not nearly as urgent of a decision to make when compared to the coaching staff yet more significant. Coaches don’t swing hammers at the plate. Alonso does.