The Mets are lining up a familiar front-office voice for David Stearns, with former Twins baseball operations chief Derek Falvey moving closer to a role in New York’s baseball department. The expected hire would bring Falvey into the organization in an executive capacity, though not as general manager.
A former Cleveland partnership could resume in Queens
Falvey and Stearns know the rhythms of a major-league front office from their earlier years together in Cleveland. They shared the title of co-director of baseball operations during the 2011 and 2012 seasons before their careers took separate tracks.
- Stearns left Cleveland for an assistant general manager post with the Astros.
- Falvey remained with Cleveland, eventually rising to assistant GM.
- Falvey later became Minnesota’s top baseball decision-maker as president of baseball operations.
New York has not publicly confirmed the planned addition or detailed Falvey’s prospective title. What is clear is that he would join Stearns’ operation in a role designed to add experience rather than replace the club’s current baseball operations president.
Cohen’s call for more voices
Owner Steve Cohen previewed the possibility of front-office changes during an SNY appearance last week, saying the organization had identified areas where it could improve. Cohen said he and the club’s baseball staff were looking to bring in people who could offer useful perspectives.
“David is behind it,” Cohen said, adding that he looked forward to announcing the decisions once they were made.
Cohen stressed that the club did not necessarily need to fill a traditional GM job. His aim, he said, was to give Stearns and the baseball department more viewpoints from talent evaluators and executives who have held senior positions elsewhere.
The Mets already employ three assistant general managers:
- Eduardo Brizuela
- Jonathan Strangio
- Ben Zauzmer
Carlos Beltrán and J.D. Martinez also serve as special assistants in baseball operations.
Pressure after two steps back
Stearns, 41, is completing the third year of his five-year agreement as Mets president of baseball operations. Cohen offered his backing earlier this season, even after the club dismissed manager Carlos Mendoza and installed Andy Green on an interim basis.
Green’s status changed Tuesday, when the Mets removed the interim label and signed him to a three-year deal through 2029.
The organization is looking for answers after falling away from the standard it set in Stearns’ first season. New York went 89-73 in 2024 and made an unexpected trip to the National League Championship Series. The next year ended at 83-79, with the Mets missing the postseason on the final day of the regular season.
This season will end below .500, the club’s first losing finish since 2023. The Mets were eliminated from playoff contention in early September, while several notable offseason additions failed to meet expectations.
- Jorge Polanco
- Marcus Semien
- Devin Williams
Falvey’s expected arrival would not erase those results, but it would give Stearns another seasoned executive in the room as the Mets try to rebuild the decision-making process around a club that has slipped from an NLCS run to an early autumn exit.
