New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns is facing growing criticism from an increasingly frustrated fan base after an offseason that has produced few positive results. Through the first 84 games of the 2026 season, the Mets sit at 35-49, and the disappointing record has only intensified scrutiny of the decisions that shaped the current roster.
Now, former Mets coach Eric Chavez has added another layer to the conversation by sharing his perspective on Stearns’ leadership and Juan Soto’s difficult adjustment to life in Queens.
Chavez served in multiple coaching roles with the Mets from 2022 until he was dismissed by the organization in October. During a recent episode of his podcast, he described what he viewed as a troubling environment inside the clubhouse during Soto’s first season with the team after the superstar left the New York Yankees.
Eric Chavez Details Juan Soto’s Early Adjustment
Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets in December 2024 after spending the previous season with the Yankees. According to Chavez, the transition was not an easy one.
“He struggled the first two months emotionally,” Chavez said, according to reports. “I don’t blame him, a big move going from the Yankees. Maybe had a little bit of buyer’s remorse. In between innings, he would run from the outfield and go sit in the batting cage on the couch, and not be in the dugout with teammates. This isn’t a Juan issue. This is a lack of leadership, a lack of accountability from the top down. And we had an assistant GM who 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?'”
Those remarks revive a storyline that surrounded Soto throughout much of the spring of 2025. Reports and speculation about his happiness with the Mets frequently made headlines, especially after the club suffered a second-half collapse that ultimately kept it out of the postseason. Rumors of clubhouse tension surfaced as the disappointing campaign unraveled, although none of those reports painted a complete picture of what was happening behind closed doors.
More recently, the narrative around Soto has shifted. A report earlier this month indicated that he has become one of the team’s most vocal leaders despite the club’s continued struggles on the field, suggesting that whatever adjustment period Chavez described may no longer define Soto’s role inside the clubhouse.
Chavez Shares His Conversation With David Stearns
Still, Chavez reserved some of his sharpest criticism for Stearns.
According to reports, Chavez recalled bringing concerns to the Mets executive about the message Soto’s behavior could send to younger players. Stearns allegedly dismissed the concern by saying, “Well, those players need to learn that they’re not Juan Soto.”
For Chavez, that response reflected a broader leadership problem. “This is not a backbone type of leader from a GM, because it trickles down,” Chavez said.
Pressure Continues to Build on the Mets
Those comments arrive at a particularly difficult moment for the organization. The Mets entered July sitting in last place, and the club already made a major change by firing manager Carlos Mendoza on June 26. With losses continuing to mount and frustration growing throughout the fan base, Chavez’s public criticism is likely to intensify questions about Stearns’ leadership and the direction of the franchise.
If the Mets were competing for a playoff spot, Chavez’s remarks might have faded into the background. Instead, they have become another flashpoint during a season filled with disappointment, giving frustrated supporters yet another reason to question whether owner Steve Cohen will eventually decide that a change at the top of the baseball operations department is necessary.
