Former Mets hitting coach and bench coach Eric Chavez can be added to the list of critics of president of baseball operations David Stearns.
Chavez, who worked with the Mets from 2024-25, said Juan Soto would sit on couches near the batting cages between innings instead of with the team in the dugout — and Stearns did nothing about it.
“This is a lack of leadership, a lack of accountability, from the top down,” Chavez said 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 kind of coddle him, tap him on the shoulder, without saying ‘hey dude, how about getting in the dugout with your teammates.’”
Chavez said he raised the issue to Stearns as a negative influence on the younger members of the team, but Stearns allegedly responded, “Those players need to learn that they’re not Juan Soto.”
Chavez did not name the assistant GM.
This was just one of the red flags the former Mets coach said stood out about Stearns, also listing being asked to take a pay cut and an email asking minor league hitters to focus on pull-slide power.
Stearns has come under heavy criticism in his third year with the Mets after the team failed to make the playoffs in 2025 and started this season 35-49, despite a $320 million-plus roster.
Manager Carlos Mendoza has taken the brunt of the blame for this season’s woes, but was fired, leaving no one left to protect Stearns.
The general manager was brought in from the Brewers after he showed an impressive ability to find diamonds in the rough.
He led the charge in a complete roster overhaul over the last two seasons, which saw fan favorites such as Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, and Edwin Diaz depart.
The aforementioned Soto was one of the players brought in, signing a 15-year, $765 million deal in 2024.
