What went wrong for the 2026 New York Mets? And where do they go from here?

Whatever the path forward, it will be highly scrutinized. Cohen seems to still believe in Stearns. The same cannot be said of most Mets fans. Even so, this roster, despite unfurling a season to banish to the dustbin, has the bones of a contender. Soto, Lindor, Bichette, Benge and McLean is a strong place to start.

Can Stearns fill in the gaps? He certainly didn’t this year.