Former Brewers’ president shakes up offseason with early blockbuster

The largest free agent contract that David Stearns ever agreed to when he was the President of Baseball Operations for the Milwaukee Brewers from 2015 to October of 2022 was a five-year, $80 million free agent contract to Lorenzo Cain ahead of the 2018 season. On Sunday evening, Stearns, now heading the New York Mets' front office, swapped five years of a $162 million contract for three years of a $175 million contract in order to make room for a free agent who will command a salary north of $400 million this offseason. At least that's what Mets fans have been led to think.

Stearns is no doubt swimming in richer waters these days, with the pressure of the free-spending Mets' owner, Steve Cohen, who is seemingly willing to pay whatever is necessary to win a World Series, no doubt impacting the former Brewers president's decision-making. The pressure from Cohen this offseason appears to be: find a way to get Kyle Tucker on the roster so that he doesn't fall into the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who the Mets presumably would have to go through to reach the World Series.

The Mets, however, needed to accomplish two goals before Tucker and his expected salary of $400-450 million arriving in Queens becomes a reality. They first needed to open up a corner outfield spot, with Brandon Nimmo and Juan Soto serving as the team's left and right fielder, respectively, during the 2025 season. Then, in order to free up some future payroll space for Tucker's presumed contract, the Mets needed to get some long-term money off their books. Soto and his roughly $60 million salary aren't going anywhere, and neither is Francisco Lindor, who holds a head-turning $32.5 million salary himself, leaving Stearns with one clear trade candidate: Nimmo.

David Stearns executes offseason's first blockbuster sending Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Marcus Semien

On Sunday evening, Stearns executed a deal, sending Nimmo and the five final years of his contract to the Texas Rangers in exchange for second baseman Marcus Semien. While Semien is no cheap player himself, with a $26 million annual salary to prove it, he's only under contract for three more years, and his being on the roster doesn't prevent the Mets from signing Tucker like Nimmo's presence may have.

It's by no means a guarantee that the Mets turn around and sign Tucker, especially when they have to consider the future of their own departing free agents, Pete Alonso and Edwin Díaz, both of whom are reportedly seeking major deals this offseason. However, the move, especially given the Dodgers’ interest in Tucker, feels like a precursor to New York signing the best free agent bat on the market this offseason.

For Stearns, the creative display of financial footwork that led to him fielding competitive roster after competitive roster in Milwaukee now shines through in a much different light. No longer is he trying to save less than a million dollars on an arbitration case to allow the Brewers to sign an under-the-radar relief arm. Now, he's moving established big leaguers for expensive veterans in return as a way to offset the impact of signing the best free agent hitter in the game.