Luis Robert Jr.'s Failed Mets Tenure Should Be Another Lesson Learned for David Stearns

The Mets took a lot of risk this past offseason when putting together the roster. The failed experiment should spark a change in approach next winter.

Here's what the Mets can take away from the Luis Robert Jr. experience. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Well, the Luis Robert Jr. era is officially over for the Mets. The outfielder was claimed off waivers by the Orioles on Monday, per ESPN's Jorge Castillo, bringing to a close a short-lived and failed cup of coffee in Queens.

The move will save the Mets $3 million this season, and they no longer need to have to worry about picking up Robert's $20 million option in 2027, giving the team flexibility to address other needs on the roster. Furthermore, Robert's departure will give young outfielder Nick Morabito a chance to impress, which Sports Illustrated's Jovan Alford wrote about on Monday, while also allowing A.J. Ewing to get more time in his natural position of center field.

There is no doubt that Robert being gone is best for the team and for the player, with the veteran now having an opportunity to push for a postseason berth with the Orioles. However, the Mets need to make sure they learn their lesson from the whole Robert experience.

Luis Robert Jr.'s failed time with the Mets needs to instruct David Stearns's upcoming offseason with the team

Overall, the Robert move didn't pan out for the Mets. The outfielder hit just .223/.303/.399 with 10 home runs and 23 RBIs in 218 plate appearances in 2026. Sure, he has been swinging a hot bat as of late with six homers, 11 RBIs, and an .841 OPS this month. However, that was just putting lipstick on a pig with the Mets' season already cooked.

It is obvious that President of Baseball Operations David Stearns made a calculated mistake by trading for Robert last offseason. The talent and the power to take over games have always been there, as we saw in flashes this year, but the center fielder has also failed to deliver consistently enough throughout his career. He's also struggled to stay on the field, and he missed a large part of this season with a lumbar spine disc herniation.

Stearns took a gamble on Robert, and it failed. He also rolled the dice by allowing Pete Alonso to walk in free agency and replacing him at first base with Jorge Polanco, who had previously only had a cup of coffee at the position. Predictably, Polanco made just two appearances at first, didn't produce at the plate, and also couldn't stay healthy. Trading Brandon Nimmo, a proven offensive contributor, with a fading bat in Marcus Semien was also questionable, although that deal looks somewhat better now thanks to the emergence of Ewing and Carson Benge in the outfield.

Even signing Bo Bichette to play third base looked like a huge mistake, although Bichette has turned things around recently.

Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns needs to learn after multiple offseason gambles failed. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Still, there was always potential for all of Stearns's offseason moves to backfire so spectacularly. After all, while the ceiling was high with some of the additions, the floor was dangerously low, and that has played out. Trading for an injury-prone player in Robert was probably always going to play out one way. Letting Alonso go was a big mistake on its own, compounded by the decision to sign Polanco to play first, despite the fact he wasn't a first baseman. Trying to turn Mark Vientos, who was a below-average defender at third base, into a first baseman on the fly also wasn't a smart move.

You can also argue that signing Devin Williams to replace Edwin Diáz, despite the former's struggles pitching with the Yankees, was also a needless gamble.

Look, it is okay to take a risk on a player every now and then. But Stearns took unnecessary fliers on too many important positions all at once, and he whiffed on all of them. He should have known better given that his strategy of relying on a lot of bounce-back projects in the starting rotation doomed the Mets in 2025. It is fair to suggest that Stearns was probably trying to be too cute when constructing this roster, and it simply hasn't worked out.

Therefore, with easily his most significant offseason with the Mets now on the horizon, Stearns must learn from the mistakes he made with Robert and other players last offseason. He needs to adjust and learn to take fewer risks, opting for the tried-and-tested when overhauling this roster. If he can't do that, then a repeat of this season may be on the cards.

And that would be a disaster for everybody connected with the Mets, and for the fans who have had to endure enough suffering over the last couple of years alone.

Get Mets On SI straight to your inbox: sign up for our free newsletter here.