David Stearns, Eyeing Incoming Lockout, Commits Hard to Andy Green

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Since Andy Green was appointed as interim manager after Carlos Mendoza’s firing in late June, he was expected to return to the front office following the 2026 season. Then, a sudden change of heart led to a three-year extension, establishing Green as the New York Mets' full-time manager moving forward. He certainly earned his promotion, but there are other factors as to why Green got the nod.

With the MLB collective bargaining agreement ending on Dec. 1, urgency is going to be the name of the game. Free-agent signings, trades, and tough rostering decisions will all be made quicker than usual, with the goal of having some certainty heading into the lockout. Players are not going to sign with a team without a manager, so ask yourself this: If you were David Stearns, would you risk missing out on certain players while your managerial search is ongoing, or just stick with the one you have?

The Red Sox may have had the same mindset when they promoted their own interim manager Chad Tracy to the full-time position just before the Mets extended Green. Obviously, it is not totally the same circumstance, as the Red Sox were near the bottom of the league when they fired Alex Cora and soared up to the top when they appointed Tracy as interim. Since Andy Green has been appointed, the Mets have been a .500 club (38-38).

Following back to back years when the Mets have failed to reach the postseason, David Stearns’ job could potentially come into question if they fail to address their needs this offseason and fail again next year. The Mets have glaring holes all over the roster (besides the outfield) that absolutely have to be addressed this offseason if they plan to be competitive in 2027.

Luckily for Stearns, the reactions are very positive to the Andy Green promotion. When asked about Green’s promotion, second basemen Marcus Semien said, "I'm glad they did. Everybody's happy. Since Andy stepped in, he's helped a lot of guys be a better version of themselves, and we've been playing a good brand of baseball." Other players like Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto and AJ Ewing all have been quoted in favor of Green as a person and as a manager.

It is unlikely that David Stearns will be able to hire a third manager if Andy Green fails to succeed, so this is a true all-in move by the Mets' top front office executive. For what it's worth, Stearns opened the press conference announcing the move by saying Green is “the perfect person for this job." If he wants to keep running this organization for the foreseeable future, he better be right.