Recent Mets roster purge proves David Stearns is no Billy Eppler

The New York Mets brought out the firing squad on Friday with a whole lot of roster moves. Early in the day, they DFA’d Adrian Houser and Shintaro Fujinami. Later on, after acquiring Ryne Stanek, Josh Walker received the same treatment.

The three DFAs plus the trade of Cole Sulser to the Tampa Bay Rays in essentially a player for cash swap proved something we already know. David Stearns is no Billy Eppler when it comes to sentimentality or trying to force a round peg into a square hole.

David Stearns did what Billy Eppler never seemed willing to do

Eppler undoubtedly held onto players a little too long. Never forget how Darin Ruf almost made the 2023 Mets Opening Day roster. If it wasn’t for a putrid spring training, he would’ve been there right alongside another guy who lingered too long, Daniel Vogelbach. Vogelbach managed to stick with the team all year long in 2023 and not just on the bench. He started regularly despite the team having a player like Mark Vientos itching for those DH at-bats.

Stubbornness and determination to not give up are separated by a thin line. Each day with Stearns is a bit of an adventure as he clearly has no attachment to players he signs. Not even Houser, whom he brought over from the Milwaukee Brewers, received the kind of unneeded courtesy Eppler would’ve given.

It’s not rare for General Managers—or a President of Baseball Operations in this case—to use experience with other players. We saw how Brodie Van Wagenen regularly added former clients of his to the Mets roster. Stearns hasn’t been shy about bringing in ex-Brewers nor has he swayed from reuniting Carlos Mendoza with any ex-New York Yankees.

The difference between some of those in the past and Stearns is he will say “farewell” much more easily. A roster bloodbath in some ways on Friday was admittance of some offseason mistakes. Houser was a poor starter and only a quality reliever for the Mets for a short period of time. Fujinami never logged a single appearance on the mound in the majors before his DFA. Likely a candidate to accept a minor league assignment once he clears waivers, it doesn’t save from the fact that it was a bad signing.

We should feel like we’re in good hands with Stearns. The MLB executive way of saying “I’m sorry” is to DFA a player they thought had the touch. Stearns did a lot of apologizing. Let’s see how lovely the roses he brings alongside Ryne Stanek look.