David Stearns Confirms Mets’ “Right Investments” Approach, Is Shohei Ohtani’s $500M Deal a Realistic Target?

Few teams have spent as much funds as the New York Mets have in recent years. Buoyed by the enthusiasm of Steve Cohen, the Mets have continued in their quest to create a perfect baseball team. They seemed rather close in 2022, but 2023  disrupted their progress. With only 75 wins, the team failed to match the lofty expectations of the baseball fans. But now, keeping the disappointment in the rearview, the team is looking to strengthen this offseason. There are quite a few holes in their squad, namely, pitching, but the Mets are rumored to be associated with Shohei Ohtani. Could the two-way phenom fix all the Mets’ problems?

The New York Mets are in a bind due to their bad performances. They is no short of funds, but their recent experiences with free-agent signings have been less than ideal. Mets meeting Shohei Ohtani’s $500 million demand might raise some eyebrows. David Stearns, their Baseball Operations President, has hinted at their strategy. But could they actually do it?

David Stearns discusses the Mets’ appetite to spend on players like Shohei Ohtani

The Japanese two-way phenom is enjoying the complete attention of every team. The global icon is looking to sign a record $500 million, with the Mets being one of the prominent teams linked to him. David Stearns had this to say while talking to SNY’s Andy Martino, “I think Steve has proven he’s willing to invest in talent,” Stearns said. “This is an organization that’s proven it’s willing to invest in talent and we’re not going to shy away from that…” 

Stearns explained that they won’t do it with every player, though. “We can’t do it with every player… There are going to be points where we get really aggressive because we think it’s the right time, right opportunity, the right player, and there’s going to be points where we’ll be more reserved… We’re clearly, as an organization, not afraid to make investments when they’re the right investments.” That being said, it’s necessary to zoom in on how Mets fared this season.

Squad problems of the New York Mets

The Amazin’ Mets were not so amazing in 2023. They were coming off of a 101-win season in 2022, but the collapse of 2023 was quite a sight to watch. The management had strengthened the team by signing free agents like Max Scherzer, but it didn’t have the desired result. The Mets actually weakened, as none in the bullpen could replicate the form of 2022. The team’s ERA plummeted to 4.31 from their 2022 high of 3.57. So what exactly happened?

Ineffectual starting pitching coupled with a lack of quality relief pitchers were the reason for their woes. Naturally, now that the team is looking to improve itself, the focus will be on improving their pitching. With the team linked with players like Yoshinobu Yamamoto in order to improve their bullpen, where does Shohei Ohtani fit in this equation?

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So with the tale continuing, who will get to have the “Shotime’? Although the suitors are plenty, David summed up the Ohtani queries with, “Time will tell, in terms of what this offseason brings.”

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