Former Mets hitting coach and bench coach Eric Chavez may be added to the listing of critics of president of baseball operations David Stearns.
Chavez, who labored with the Mets from 2024-25, stated Juan Soto would sit on couches close to the batting cages between innings as a substitute of with the crew within the dugout — and Stearns did nothing about it.
“This can be a lack of management, a scarcity of accountability, from the highest down,” Chavez stated on his “EC3” podcast. “And we had an assistant GM who would sit there with [Soto] — the assistant GM would sit there with him — and sort of coddle him, faucet him on the shoulder, with out saying ‘hey dude, how about getting within the dugout together with your teammates.’”
Chavez stated he raised the difficulty to Stearns as a adverse affect on the youthful members of the crew, however Stearns allegedly responded, “These gamers have to be taught that they’re not Juan Soto.”
Chavez didn’t title the assistant GM.
This was simply one of many purple flags the previous Mets coach stated stood out about Stearns, additionally itemizing being requested to take a pay lower and an e-mail asking minor league hitters to concentrate on pull-slide energy.
Stearns has come below heavy criticism in his third yr with the Mets after the crew did not make the playoffs in 2025 and began this season 35-49, regardless of a $320 million-plus roster.
Supervisor Carlos Mendoza has taken the brunt of the blame for this season’s woes, however was fired, leaving nobody left to guard Stearns.
The overall supervisor was introduced in from the Brewers after he confirmed a formidable skill to seek out diamonds within the tough.
He led the cost in a whole roster overhaul over the past two seasons, which noticed fan favorites corresponding to Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, and Edwin Diaz depart.
The aforementioned Soto was one of many gamers introduced in, signing a 15-year, $765 million deal in 2024.
