Mets’ David Stearns gives clues for offseason approach: On Jeff McNeil, Cody Bellinger, top prospects, more

For the Mets and president of baseball operations David Stearns, trading Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers for Marcus Semien wasn’t easy.

Nimmo was more than a fan favorite in a Mets uniform. He was beloved by teammates, coaches, members of the front office and more, a leader in the clubhouse and a homegrown player who had spent 14 years with the organization.

But, Stearns said, it was the right move.

“In order to create the type of sustainable championship caliber play that we seek to have here, at times these types of decisions are necessary,” Stearns said on Zoom call with reporters Monday.

“I think it’s a recognition that what we did last year wasn’t good enough and running back the exact same group wasn’t the right thing to do,” Stearns said. “So as went into this, we believed and still believe that we have to be open to anything, that we shouldn’t be in a spot to take anything off the table.”

Here are a few notes and takeaways from Stearns’ comments about the trade, including why the Mets like Semien and what the deal means for Mets like Jeff McNeil.

What’s next in the Mets’ outfield?

All signs now point toward the Mets being active on the outfield market for the rest of this offseason now that Nimmo is out of the picture.

Yes, the Mets have depth at the position and Nimmo’s departure opens the door for top prospects Carson Benge and Jett Williams to factor into the big-league playing time equation sooner than later. But Stearns recognized that there is an opportunity for external acquisitions now that the Mets have another outfield vacancy.

Asked if the Mets have the ability financially to sign a top-shelf outfielder this winter while also retaining Pete Alonso and Edwin Díaz in free agency, Stearns said that it would be a realistic scenario.

“I think our ownership group and Steve is very consistent that they’re willing to support what we think is right from a baseball perspective,” Stearns said. “Payroll space is not unending, but I am also very confident that we’re going to have the support we need, and certainly the resources we need to put a very good team on the field.”

That’s where Cody Bellinger or Kyle Tucker could come in. Maybe the Mets can use their top-ranked farm system to swing a trade for an outfielder. Those acquisitions are even more feasible for the Mets after the Nimmo move.

Why Semien?

Three seasons ago, Semien finished third in the Most Valuable Player Award race in the American League for the third time in five years. Since then, as he’s aged in Texas, he’s regressed significantly at the plate.

The Mets are more focused on Semien’s defense, speed and what he brings to the clubhouse in regards to a winning culture rooted in work ethic. There’s clear upside with Semien if he can recapture his old form, but even as he enters his age-35 season, those other parts of his game haven’t dipped.

“I think there’s still some underlying aspects of what he does that that are encouraging offensively,” Stearns said. “We think there’s likely some bounce back in his offensive profile and his offensive game, but what we’re counting on at the top of his skill set is the contributions he can make for us defensively, how he can perform on the bases and we think those are gonna help us win games.”

Semien is a right-handed hitter, bringing more righty-lefty balance to the Mets’ lineup as well. He’s an elite defender at second and just won his second career Gold Glove Award, fitting the run prevention mold that Stearns has been harping on since the conclusion of this past season.

“He’s one of the best defensive infielders in baseball and has been for a number of years,” Stearns said. “He’s a winner. He brings a winning drive and determination that we think is going to fit well in our clubhouse.”

What acquiring Semien means for McNeil?

On one hand, Semien’s presence makes McNeil completely expendable. The Mets have a surplus of young infielders and McNeil is under contract for only one more season. They can look to flip him in a trade this winter now that they have a starting second baseman for the next few years (Semien is under contract through 2028).

Stearns still sees value in McNeil, though.

“Jeff, by virtue of his positional versatility, still has the ability to impact our team in a variety of ways,” Stearns said. “What exactly that’s going to look like is probably going to have to wait until we watch the rest of the offseason unfold, but certainly his ability to play corner outfield is a help. There may still be days, if Semien needs a blow, where he’s playing some second base. We may ask Jeff to play some first base, depending on how the the offseason pans out.”

Stearns revealed that he spoke with McNeil on Sunday, checking in after the Nimmo trade.

“He understands where we’re headed,” Stearns said. “I think he wants to be a part of this, and he understands his positional versatility is a real asset for us.”

What about the Mets’ former top infield prospects?

While importing Semien blocks youngsters like Luisangel Acuña and Ronny Mauricio from playing second base, Stearns doesn’t think this trade will prevent those former prospects from seeing the field. Like the case with McNeil, he’s looking through a lens of defensive versatility.

“Whether that’s Acuna or Jett Williams or Ronny Mauricio,” Stearns said, “We have a high degree of confidence that all of these guys can play multiple positions and can play them at a high level. And so we don’t look at the Semien acquisition as necessarily blocking anyone from continuing their progression.”

Again, that doesn’t mean the Mets won’t entertain a trade involving any of those phenoms. Brett Baty and Mark Vientos are in a similar situation. There’s only so many spots on the active roster and depending on the Alonso sweepstakes, third base may be the only position up for grabs heading into camp next spring.

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