Overview

• Stearns confirmed the Mets will be active in the relief market, aiming to address a bullpen that entered Monday with the fourth-highest ERA in MLB and the fifth-most innings since June 1.
• He said if trades don’t sufficiently bolster the relief corps, the club could call up Triple-A starters Blade Tidwell, Brandon Sproat or Nolan McLean to pitch out of the bullpen.
• Stearns expressed satisfaction with his position-player group and does not expect major acquisitions, identifying center field as the only area under review.
• Thanks to the returns of Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea before the All-Star break, the starting rotation is viewed as capable of leading into a postseason series.
• With 10 days left before the deadline, he emphasized a measured approach, weighing cost against clear roster upgrades while preserving prospect trade capital.