Back in August, New York Mets owner Steve Cohen insisted that he is "committed" to keeping David Stearns as the team's president of baseball operations.

However, the fact that the 63-77 Mets will head into the Labor Day holiday weekend in last place in the National League East standings understandably has pockets of fans wondering if Cohen could experience a change of heart this fall. 

For her latest Mets mailbag, MLB insider Chelsea Janes of SNY revealed that "fans might be underestimating Steve Cohen’s patience and his willingness to give Stearns time to realize his vision." 

Why Steve Cohen is "deeply reluctant" to show David Stearns the door

"More than anything, though, I think Cohen is deeply reluctant to duplicate the kind of front office churn he experienced in his early years," Janes explained. "He wants to make the Mets a destination for smart baseball people, and he knows that smart baseball people believe growing an annual juggernaut takes time."

As noted by Anthony DiComo of the MLB website, Cohen has had Jared Porter, Zack Scott, Sandy Alderson, Billy Eppler and Stearns in full-time/interim general manager/lead executive roles since Cohen assumed ownership of the Mets in the fall of 2020. Over that time, the Mets have made two trips to the playoffs, including one that involved a roster partially assembled by Stearns playing in the 2024 National League Championship Series. 

However, Stearns controversially moved on from multiple fan favorites following the club's 2025 summer collapse. Those moves weren't overly popular at the time, and they're now downright hated by members of a fanbase that is watching the Mets limp toward the end of what became a lost season for the club. 

When could Steve Cohen finally give up on his David Stearns experiment?

"Firing Stearns this year, or even last, would have signaled to anyone considering a job here that their leash is short and their process must work immediately," Janes continued. "Whether fans agree with that argument is another thing. I think it’s fair to wonder whether, given this franchise’s budget, a head of baseball operations should be able to turn things around quickly. Still, if Cohen deemed two down seasons and one miracle postseason was too quick a hook, I wouldn’t be surprised if he decides three amounts to leaving the starter in too long. If the Mets struggle to start next year and endure another mediocre summer, I expect Cohen to move on, but he has surprised us all with his patience before."

Stearns' history of not wanting to sign free-agent pitchers to long-term deals would lead one to believe he won't make a serious run at landing Los Angeles Dodgers ace Tarik Skubal following the season. Additionally, it's unknown when the 2027 campaign will get underway or if the season will be completely scrapped amid a work stoppage. 

That said, Stearns may feel he needs to make some big splashes this coming offseason to ensure he keeps his job through at least the start of the 2028 campaign.