When Juan Soto got injured in the Giants game, many fans worried about how the New York Mets would perform. And it looks like their nightmares are coming true. Although they won the next 3 games, it looks like the team is falling short. David Stearns’ grand experiment in ‘defensive versatility’ is blowing up in his face. And after another bullpen meltdown, Mets fans are officially out of patience.

After the game, pitcher Nolan McLean didn’t hide his frustration over the loss, especially since he had pitched so well. McLean said, “I’m sure I’ll leave guys out there, and our bullpen is gonna strand them for me. It’s actually been done this year a couple of times,” and backed the bullpen even after a letdown.

The New York Mets lost 7-1 in the 3rd game of the Diamondbacks series and lost the series 2-1. But the way the Mets started with their pitching, everyone thought this was going to be an easy win. Starter Nolan McLean went 6.1 innings, 8 strikeouts, and 3 hits. But after McLean gave up a single and a walk in the 7th inning, they took him off, and the whole game fell apart.

Former Yankees reliever Luke Weaver replaced McLean, and the Diamondbacks looked like they had his number. Weaver inherited two runners and allowed Gabriel Moreno’s RBI double, tying the game 1-1. That ball went over Brett Baty, who was making his 5th start in right field. And this has been another problem with the Mets this season.

Many of the players, like Brett Baty and Bo Bichette, are playing in new positions for the first time. When asked about this, David Stearns had said that the team is built around run prevention and defensive versatility. But now we are seeing the growing pains.

To add to this frustration, Mark Vientos made an off-target throw from first base, which allowed the D-Backs to take the lead. But this has to be expected from Vientos because even he is adapting to playing first base full-time and has had only 19 starts. The D-Backs finished off the 7th inning with a sac fly and an RBI triple, scoring 4 runs.

That collapse continued in the 8th inning when Luis Garcia allowed three runs while recording only one out. Across the 7th and the 8th inning, the Mets’ bullpen had allowed 7 runs in total, and they never got back in the game. And this has been the case for most of the Mets’ bullpen.

Richard Lovelady has an ERA of 4.05 in just 6.2 innings, and the worst of all is Luis Garcia, who has an ERA of 8.44 in 5.1 innings. But it wasn’t only the defense that fell short in that game.

The Mets’ offense also seems to have gone to sleep against the D-Backs in the 3rd game of the series. After an early homer by Luis Robert Jr., the Mets simply couldn’t make an impact and went 0-5 with runners in scoring position.

This loss has the Mets at a 7-6 win-loss record, and they are a game behind the Marlins and the Braves in the division. With results like this and the team not getting consistent answers from the offense, defense, or the pitching, people are asking questions about David Stearns.

Mets fans call out David Stearns for the collective failure of the team

After losing the series against the Arizona Diamondbacks and the whole team failing to show up, the fans are questioning whether the front office made the right moves in the offseason.

The comment “run prevention right Stearns?” reflects confusion after multiple players shifted into unfamiliar defensive roles this season. Bo Bichette moved to third base, and Brett Baty shifted into right field. Despite ranking 3rd in Defensive Runs Saved, the players are failing in real-time and are costing the team games.

The fan comment saying, “five guys out of position” points to Bo Bichette, Brett Baty, Jorge Polanco, Mark Vientos, and Juan Soto. The Mets have a lot of guys playing out of position right now. Bichette is at third, Baty is in right field, and both Polanco and Vientos are trying to figure out first base. Add in Soto moving to left field, and the defense looks pretty shaky.

The mistakes are already costing them. Baty missed a very catchable ball, and a bad throw by Vientos gave up a run. When players have to stress about learning a new defensive spot, it can creep into their hitting as well.

The line “So much for run prevention” fit when Brett Baty misjudged Moreno’s 99.3 mph drive completely. He read the flight of the ball late, reached up awkwardly, and it went right over his head for a double. It wasn’t an easy play. However, a natural right fielder probably makes the catch, or at least limits runners to bases. Instead, that one mistake opened the floodgates, turning a 1-0 lead into a four-run inning.

“So much for run prevention… players out of position all over the field,” was a fan’s comment. It captures the emotion of most of the fanbase. We saw it earlier when Bo Bichette made a throwing error against the Pirates. He is clearly still getting used to playing third base. These constant adjustments force players to think instead of react. And that hesitation costs them when the game is on the line.

“Sign some actual position players,” said one fan, and this reflects frustration after missing targets like Kyle Tucker this offseason. However, the Mets signed Bo Bichette to play third base, even though he’s never played there professionally. They also key players like Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo leave, which created massive gaps across positions.

With so many guys forced to play out of position, it just looks like the front office didn’t have a solid plan.

David Stearns tried to build a flexible roster, but fans are just watching it turn into a confusing mess. The team might look like a smart idea on paper, but out on the field, they still look pretty lost.

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