The New York Mets' recent winning streak has not altered President of Baseball Operations David Stearns' plans to conduct a managerial search following the current season. Stearns stated Monday that he still anticipates interim manager Andy Green will return to his role within the front office next year. Green, who previously served as the Mets' vice president for player development, took over as manager in June after the team fired Carlos Mendoza.
Under Green's leadership, the Mets have achieved a 23-22 record and have won 10 of their last 13 games. "My expectation, Andy’s expectation, is he’s going to rejoin the front office, and I have no reason to believe otherwise right now," Stearns said before the Mets' 2-1 victory over the Padres on Monday at Citi Field.
Stearns acknowledged that Green's familiarity with the Mets' young players has been a positive factor. "They know him, he knows them," Stearns said. "He also has some familiarity with our veteran players and that wasn’t completely new to anyone as well. I think any time a manager steps into a new role, having those preexisting relationships is definitely beneficial."
When asked about qualities he would seek in a future manager, Stearns indicated that a broader discussion would occur after the season. "When we get to that point, I will be able to talk more broadly and holistically about what we would be looking for in the next manager," he said. "I don’t think right now is the right time to have those conversations."
Regarding player personnel, Stearns addressed Jorge Polanco's situation, noting that the infielder has played only two games at first base since his arrival last winter. Stearns indicated that Polanco's physical readiness for 2027 is the primary focus, rather than solely his performance at first base this season. "I think the most important thing for [Polanco] is to get him on a path where he is physically in a much better place in 2027 than he has been this year, and that’s our focus," Stearns explained.
Luis Robert Jr. recently returned to playing center field after starting his first major league game in left field the previous day. According to Green, Robert's next step in his progression will involve consecutive starts in left field.