Mets hiring their 1st baseball operations president

The worst- kept secret in baseball is now official.

The New York Mets have hired David Stearns to become their new president of baseball operations, agreeing to a five- year contract, according to a highranking Mets official with direct knowledge of the hire.

The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because the team had not yet announced the hire.

Stearns, a New York native who grew up a Mets fan, was targeted by the team a year ago but the Milwaukee Brewers would not let him out of his contract. Stearns, who was Milwaukee’s president of baseball operations, instead stepped down to become an adviser.

He was permitted to begin talking to teams on Aug. 1, and although he was courted by other teams, including the Houston Astros, he and the Mets were a perfect match.

Stearns, 38, a Harvard graduate who ran the Brewers from Sept. 1, 2015, through 2022, turned the franchise into a perennial contender. The Brewers, with a limited payroll, reached the postseason four consecutive years from 2018 to 2021, including the National League Central Division title in 2018 and 2021. They averaged 87 victories a season and are currently in first place.

Stearns is also responsible for hiring manager Craig Counsell, whose contract expires after this season. Counsell is expected to step down as manager, but while there’s speculation he could join Stearns in New York, he likely will sit out the 2024 season to be with his family.

The Mets will retain Billy Eppler as their general manager, a high- ranking Mets official told USA TODAY Sports, but will defer to Stearns on determining manager Buck Showalter’s fate. They fired four department directors last week.

Stearns, who will officially takes over when the regular season ends, will be trying to lead the Mets to their first World Series title since 1986.

It will be the first time Stearns will also have a massive payroll at his discretion, which is a dangerous combination for the rest of the National League.

MIKE DE SISTI/ MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL David Stearns formerly was the Brewers baseball ops president.