Britain's Jacob Fearnley produced a remarkable comeback to beat Martin Landaluce in five sets after compatriot Harriet Dart ended a 19-month wait for a Grand Slam win in the US Open first round.
World number 101 Fearnley, playing in the main draw as a lucky loser, trailed 5-2 in the fourth set before reeling off 10 of the next 11 games en route to a thrilling 4-6 6-2 4-6 7-5 6-3 win.
Dart, taken to three sets in all three of her US Open qualifying matches – including losing the opening set against Kristina Penickova and Heather Watson – once again opted for the scenic route at Flushing Meadows.
Down a set and a break, she took advantage of the fluctuating form of American opponent Peyton Stearns to win 3-6 6-3 6-2.
Fearnley and Dart join fellow Brits Toby Samuel and Katie Boulter in round two, where they will face 27th seed Tomas Etcheverry and 25th seed Marie Bouzkova, respectively.

#open

Britain's Harriet Dart ended a 19-month wait for a Grand Slam singles win by battling back to beat Peyton Stearns in the US Open first round.
World number 131 Dart had not won a main-draw singles match at a major since reaching the second round of the 2025 Australian Open.
The 30-year-old failed to qualify for four of the next six Grand Slams and fell at the first hurdle at the past two editions of Wimbledon after receiving a wildcard on each occasion.
Taken to three sets in all three of her US Open qualifying matches - including losing the opening set against Kristina Penickova and Heather Watson - Dart once again took the scenic route in New York on Monday.
Trailing by a set and a break against American opponent Stearns, who is ranked more than 75 places above her, she fought back to win 3-6 6-3 6-2.

#open #stearns #harriet

MASON − The third round of the Cincinnati Open continues on Tuesday, Aug. 18 from the Lindner Family Tennis Center.
The Monday session featured several stellar matches between some of the biggest stars in tennis. Serena Williams made her first Cincinnati Open appearance since 2022, teaming up with sister, Venus, in doubles. The Williams sisters fell in a three-set tie break to Mason native Peyton Stearns and Marta Kostyuk.
On the ATP side, top-seeded Alexander Zverev is on the hunt for his second Cincinnati Open finals. He prevailed in a tight Center Court battle over France's Terence Atmane.
More: American men chase Cincinnati Open ******* le after 20-year drought
Replay | Third round ATP, WTA Cincinnati Open results from Aug. 17

#open #tennis #round #lindner

MASON − The third round of the Cincinnati Open continues on Tuesday, Aug. 18 from the Lindner Family Tennis Center.
The Monday session featured several stellar matches between some of the biggest stars in tennis. Serena Williams made her first Cincinnati Open appearance since 2022, teaming up with sister, Venus, in doubles. The Williams sisters fell in a three-set tie break to Mason native Peyton Stearns and Marta Kostyuk.
On the ATP side, top-seeded Alexander Zverev is on the hunt for his second Cincinnati Open finals. He prevailed in a tight Center Court battle over France's Terence Atmane.
More: American men chase Cincinnati Open **** le after 20-year drought
Replay | Third round ATP, WTA Cincinnati Open results from Aug. 17

#williams #Third #tennis

Serena Williams' return to competitive tennis hit another speed ***** p on Monday night, as she and sister Venus lost in the first round of the Cincinnati Open.
The Williams sisters fell in a third-set tiebreaker to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns, Aug. 17, in the women's doubles draw.
The match marked the first time Serena and Venus had played together since the 2022 U.S. Open and the first non-major for them in doubles since 2016.
The appearance in Cincinnati, where neither Williams sister had played doubles a pro tournament before, was seen as a potential tune-up for the U.S. Open, which begins next week. But it didn't last very long.
While they did look dominant in the second set, the 14-time Grand Slam-winning doubles partners fell, 6-2, 1-6, 1-0 (8).

#williams #doubles #first

In their first meeting, American Amanda Anisimova defeated Alexandra Eala in three sets at the 2026 Cincinnati Open.
Anisimova struggled at times, dropping the first set. The pinnacle of that set was a 20 minute game in the fifth game. Eala held after 13 deuces.
Eala has had a great summer. Anisimova has played a lot less tennis than Eala this year due to injuries. It was only her second Top 20 win of the year.
MORE: Venus, Serena come up short against Peyton Stearns and Marta Kostyuk at Cincinnati Open
There is no rest for the weary as Anisimova who finished her match near 1 AM EDT Tuesday morning will face the Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova on Wednesday.

#alexandra

In what could be her first step on the road back to the U.S. Open, Serena Williams played tennis on U.S. soil for the first time in nearly four years Monday, teaming with her sister Venus in doubles at the Cincinnati Open. The sisters looked rusty in a first-round match against Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns, losing 6-2, 1-6, 1-0(8).
It was just Williams' fourth match, and her first on a hard court, since she opened the second chapter of her illustrious career earlier this summer. Four years after saying she was "evolving away" from tennis after the 2022 U.S. Open, the 23-time Grand Slam champion began her comeback on grass in June, pairing with Canadian rising star Victoria Mboko to win a doubles match at Queen's in London and ending her expedited grass-court season with a first-round singles loss at Wimbledon to the Australian Maya Joint in three tight sets.
The Williams sisters, who together have won 14 Grand Slam doubles ****** les, were supposed to team up for doubles at Wimbledon but had to withdraw before their first match because of a knee injury that Serena, 44, picked up playing Joint.
Serena Williams hasn't yet announced her plans — for singles and either of the doubles events — for the U.S. Open later this month, but if she decides she is fit enough to play, the opportunity is there for her to follow the same playbook that she used ahead of Wimbledon and contest a couple of doubles matches before taking to the singles court. The U.S. Open is holding three wild-card entries open for its lid-lifting mixed doubles tournament, the field for which was announced Monday, which could allow Williams the opportunity to get more matches under her belt. The U.S. Open's main draw singles event begins Aug. 31.
On Monday, Williams looked to be moving well in a first set that was understandably sluggish considering her lack of recent matches.

#doubles #Monday

Mason native Peyton Stearns and her doubles partner, Marta Kostyuk, knocked off Serena and Venus Williams in the Cincinnati Open WTA doubles draw.
After the match, the 24-year-old Stearns, who attended grade school at St. Margaret of York and took online classes in high school, suggested that she'd love her hometown crowd to show more support for her.
"It's awesome playing with Marta here in my hometown," Stearns said in the on-court, post-match interview. "Maybe next round we can get it a little louder for us, you know?"
"I kind of expected it going into the match, but it kind of stung a little bit that this is my hometown and it's just a couple of family and friends cheering for us out there in our box," Stearns added, per The Enquirer's Shelby Dermer. "I won't hold it against anyone as long as they come out next round and give us some love."
Stearns, the 2022 NCAA champion for the Texas Longhorns, finished her sophomore season with a 33-2 overall record in singles play.

#match #school #love #next

Mason native Peyton Stearns and her doubles partner, Marta Kostyuk, knocked off Serena and Venus Williams in the Cincinnati Open WTA doubles draw.
After the match, the 24-year-old Stearns, who attended grade school at St. Margaret of York and took online classes in high school, suggested that she'd love her hometown crowd to show more support for her.
"It's awesome playing with Marta here in my hometown," Stearns said in the on-court, post-match interview. "Maybe next round we can get it a little louder for us, you know?"
"I kind of expected it going into the match, but it kind of stung a little bit that this is my hometown and it's just a couple of family and friends cheering for us out there in our box," Stearns added, per The Enquirer's Shelby Dermer. "I won't hold it against anyone as long as they come out next round and give us some love."
Stearns, the 2022 NCAA champion for the Texas Longhorns, finished her sophomore season with a 33-2 overall record in singles play.

#school

MASON − Making her first Cincinnati Open appearance since 2022, Serena Williams' return to Warren County was short-lived.
Playing alongside her sister, Venus Williams, in the Cincinnati Open WTA doubles draw, the 14-time Grand Slam-winning duo lost in the first round to the tandem of Mason native Peyton Stearns and Marta Kostyuk, 6-2, 1-6, 1-0 (8).
More: Serena Williams isn't sure how she got back to Cincy, but she 'loves' it
More: Just how rare is Cincinnati Open doubles for Serena-Venus Williams?
It was the first time either Williams sister had appeared in the Cincinnati Open doubles draw and their first match together since the 2022 U.S. Open. They had not played in a doubles event at a non-Grand Slam since 2016 (Italian Open).

#cincinnati

MASON − Making her first Cincinnati Open appearance since 2022, Serena Williams' return to Warren County was short-lived.
Playing alongside her sister, Venus Williams, in the Cincinnati Open WTA doubles draw, the 14-time Grand Slam-winning duo lost in the first round to the tandem of Mason native Peyton Stearns and Marta Kostyuk, 6-2, 1-6, 1-0 (8).
More: Serena Williams isn't sure how she got back to Cincy, but she 'loves' it
More: Just how rare is Cincinnati Open doubles for Serena-Venus Williams?
It was the first time either Williams sister had appeared in the Cincinnati Open doubles draw and their first match together since the 2022 U.S. Open. They had not played in a doubles event at a non-Grand Slam since 2016 (Italian Open).

#first

The Williams sisters were back together again on Monday night in Cincinnati.
Things just didn't go that well on the court.
Venus and Serena Williams reunited to play in their first official doubles match together since 2022 at the Cincinnati Open on Monday. But Cincinnati native Peyton Stearns and partner Marta Kostyuk picked up a 6-2, 1-6, 10-8 win to end the Williams sisters' run before it could even begin.
Kostyuk and Stearns rolled to an easy win in the first set, and looked well on their way to knocking off the Williams sisters in straight sets early. But Venus and Serena stormed back to pick up a dominant 6-1 win and force a deciding set.
But that was all the Williams' could manage to slow Stearns and Kostyuk down. The duo won six straight points in the tiebreaker to get things started, and then held on to secure the win after the Williams' pushed things back to 8-7 briefly.

#williams #stearns #venus #serena

For the first time in Cincinnati Open history, Venus and Serena Williams will take the court as doubles partners.
The legendary sisters have been awarded a doubles wild card for the Aug. 11-23 tournament at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Venus Williams also received a singles wild card.
Looking to grab a front-row seat for this ace opportunity? Here's when Venus and Serena Williams will take the court.
The Williams sisters are scheduled to play a round-two doubles match on Monday, Aug. 17 at the Grandstand Court. The duo will face Cincinnati native Peyton Stearns and partner Marta Kostyuk.
The Williams sisters will take on Stearns and Kostyuk at 7 p.m. ET on Monday.

#williams #venus #court #sisters

MASON − The often-overlooked doubles draw at the Cincinnati Open got plenty of attention when it was released on Friday, Aug. 14.
That's because the blockbuster duo of Serena and Venus Williams will team up for the first time since the 2022 U.S. Open in New York.
The Williams sisters have won 14 Grand Slam doubles ******* les and will face Cincinnati native Peyton Stearns and partner Marta Kostyuk in the first round at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Both doubles teams received wild cards to the event.
The doubles draw begins on Sunday, Aug. 16 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center, though the order of play for doubles has yet to be announced.
More: How did tennis star Daniil Medvedev become a die-hard Reds fan?

#doubles #open #williams #family

MASON − The often-overlooked doubles draw at the Cincinnati Open got plenty of attention when it was released on Friday, Aug. 14.
That's because the blockbuster duo of Serena and Venus Williams will team up for the first time since the 2022 U.S. Open in New York.
The Williams sisters have won 14 Grand Slam doubles ******* les and will face Cincinnati native Peyton Stearns and partner Marta Kostyuk in the first round at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Both doubles teams received wild cards to the event.
The doubles draw begins on Sunday, Aug. 16 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center, though the order of play for doubles has yet to be announced.
More: How did tennis star Daniil Medvedev become a die-hard Reds fan?

#open #center #draw

With the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline rapidly approaching this Monday, we're entering the final stretch as teams try to bolster their rosters and make one last postseason push. Since it's the final episode before the Baseball Bar-B-Cast Trade Deadline live show, we had to welcome ESPN Senior Baseball Reporter Jeff Passan to discuss all the potential deals that might—or might not—go down.
On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman chat with Jeff about whether Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is likely to be on the move, why he'd love to see him stay in the Motor City and whether anyone can stop the Los Angeles Dodgers from acquiring him. The guys then dive into why the San Diego Padres' asking price for closer Mason Miller is higher than anyone expected, which teams to keep an eye on before Monday's 6 p.m. ET deadline and what David Stearns might do with the New York Mets roster as they navigate a disappointing season.
Later in the show, Jake and Jordan make their weekly picks for The Good, The Bad & The Uggla, including the Tigers calling up top prospect Max Clark and San Francisco Giants outfielder Harrison Bader getting into a scooter accident that ended his season. They also talk about the Women's Professional Baseball League kicking off this weekend and Joel Embiid posting about baseball.
0:52 - Jeff Passan joins the show!
3:43 - The latest on a Tarik Skubal trade

#Baseball #jake

NEW YORK — David Stearns has barely seen all of the members of the team he constructed on the field at the same time, but that reality is fleeting.
As injuries mounted and underperformance permeated the Mets in 2026, the looming reality that the club might never meet its grand expectations has come to pass. And now, with the Aug. 3 trade deadline a little more than a week away, the stark realization of an overhaul cast a pall on the Mets season.
"I think we have to be open-minded. We've been very clear, Steve (Cohen's) been very clear that we expect to compete in 2027 — we have to keep that in mind," Stearns said. "We also have to make moves that that we believe are right for the organization, and so we're sitting here nine, 10 days out for the deadline, and we're not going to close any paths down right now.
Now, the team that Stearns pieced together this offseason with the belief that a World Series could be attainable will be systematically dismantled. With two months left in the season, the sights have turned toward the future.
"This season didn't go as we anticipated. It's extremely disappointing," Stearns said. "I am extremely disappointed that we are in this situation, but I am also very aware we are in this situation. It's my job to do what's in the best interest of the organization right now."

#season #team #clear #we 're

Mets president of baseball ops David Stearns met with the media prior to Friday's series opener against the Dodgers to discuss a number of different topics…
With Thursday's complete off day in the schedule, there had been some hope that we could potentially see some trade deadline moves start to take shape.
However, that ended up not being the case.
So, Stearns was asked when we could potentially see some reach the finish line.
"Every deadline moves a little at its own pace," he said. "A week and a half is an eternity at deadline season; we see it every year -- there are active discussions going on throughout the industry, that is certainly the case.

#every #potentially #moves #however

NEW YORK — The Mets are all but announcing plain and simple that they will be selling off their ****** ets at the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns met with the media ahead of the team's series opener with the Dodgers at 7:10 p.m. on Friday night at Citi Field and spelled out an open-minded approach to the upcoming window.
"We've been very clear, Steve's been very clear that we expect to compete in 2027," Stearns said. "We have to keep that in mind. We also have to make moves that we believe are right for the organizations, and so we're sitting here nine, 10 days out from the deadline and we're not going to close any paths down right now."
The messaging from Stearns stands as the backdrop of the team's series against the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers, who hold the best record in baseball at 65-38 and are poised to buy and fortify their quest for a three-peat in about a week's time. The Mets (43-60), meanwhile, are open for business and ready to look toward the future.
It will be one of the final games for the Mets as currently constituted as Sean Manaea makes his eighth start of the season. He carries a 2-5 record and 4.74 ERA into his second outing out of the All-Star break.

#METS

The MLB trade deadline is the time when a team can bolster its roster for a potential World Series run and also upgrade its future. While we never know what might happen by the August 4 deadline, we do know that there are quite a few names floating around who could be impact makers for a team hoping to be the last club standing in October.
On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman preview the upcoming trade deadline, including whether the Detroit Tigers will actually trade ace Tarik Skubal and whether the San Diego Padres, despite still being in the Wild Card race, will ship out their flamethrowing closer, Mason Miller. They also examine whether a hitter better than the San Francisco Giants' Luis Arráez will be moved and how many postseason-caliber starting pitchers will be acquired.
Later in the show, Jake and Jordan make their picks for which teams will be the most aggressive this trade season, either by buying or selling, and which teams will have to make the difficult decision to stand pat with the roster they have. They also explain why the New York Mets' David Stearns might be the most critical figure at this deadline and discuss the one big piece the Washington Nationals must decide whether to keep or trade away.
1:28 - The Opener: MLB trade deadline preview
7:28 - Will Tigers trade Skubal?

#whether #skubal #roster #know

PHILADELPHIA – Tristan Peters says he’s unaware of the hand-wringing that will take place in Milwaukee on July 14 when he takes the field in the All-Star Game as a rookie. That’s probably for the best.
Peters’ selection to the midsummer classic at Citizens Bank Park is the latest and greatest development in a long, winding journey for Peters that involved playing for the Savannah Bananas and beginning his professional career with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Peters, a seventh-round pick in the 2021 draft and now with the Chicago White Sox, was a part of the final big-league trade David Stearns made as the head of baseball operations for the Brewers. In the final hour before the 2022 trade deadline, Milwaukee flipped Peters, then at Class High A Wisconsin, for reliever Trevor Rosenthal.
Rosenthal never threw a pitch for the Brewers.
“No, I haven’t heard,” Peters said July 13 of the reaction to the trade. “I haven’t really looked into it.”

PHILADELPHIA – Tristan Peters says he’s unaware of the hand-wringing that will take place in Milwaukee on July 14 when he takes the field in the All-Star Game as a rookie. That’s probably for the best.
Peters’ selection to the midsummer classic at Citizens Bank Park is the latest and greatest development in a long, winding journey for Peters that involved playing for the Savannah Bananas and beginning his professional career with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Peters, a seventh-round pick in the 2021 draft and now with the Chicago White Sox, was a part of the final big-league trade David Stearns made as the head of baseball operations for the Brewers. In the final hour before the 2022 trade deadline, Milwaukee flipped Peters, then at Class High A Wisconsin, for reliever Trevor Rosenthal.
Rosenthal never threw a pitch for the Brewers.
“No, I haven’t heard,” Peters said July 13 of the reaction to the trade. “I haven’t really looked into it.”

Clay Holmes pitched to a batter in the batter's box Friday afternoon, the first time he saw a hitter since Spencer Jones broke his leg with a line drive in May.
The batter in the box was Marcus Semien, who is also out with injury. He did not swing at a single pitch. But through two innings' worth of pitches with a break in between, Holmes was finally on the Citi Field mound again, a signal that he is moving nearer to returning from the injured list. What is not clear as of Friday is whether he will still be a Met when he does.
Holmes told The Athletic this week that he is open to an extension, and a person familiar with the front office's thinking told SNY the Mets are open to an extension with him, too. Neither Holmes' agent nor president of baseball operations David Stearns immediately responded to inquiries about whether the two sides have had any conversations about a deal. If they are going to complete one, they should probably do so soon.
Because even though Holmes is not yet close to pitching in games – he said Friday he will likely face actual swinging batters in his next outing, and that it might have to come in Port St. Lucie because the major league staff will be off during the All-Star Break – he is one of the Mets' more appealing trade deadline ******* ets.
With an expiring contract, a strong start to the season, and a relatively fresh arm given the injury, Holmes would be an appealing top-end starter for any contending team. He could likely bring the Mets a worthwhile return, even as a rental who might not be fully built up by the deadline itself. The Blue Jays sent a top pitching prospect to the Guardians for Shane Bieber last year, even though he was not going to be healthy until late August. Top-end starting pitching is coveted in all its forms.

The first boats in the annual Chicago-to-Mackinac race are set to leave Friday afternoon, launching more than 250 competitors toward the storied finish at Mackinac Island.
Among them is 71yearold sailor Rich Stearns, a veteran of more than 50 of the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac events, who says this year's competition carries a deeper purpose.
Stearns spent the afternoon Thursday checking weather conditions and making final preparations aboard his boat.
After decades of racing, he says the routine is familiar, but the past 10 years have brought challenges far beyond lastminute details.
Diagnosed with prostate cancer about a decade ago, Stearns has undergone years of treatment. He and his wife turned to working on his boat as a way to stay grounded.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Arizona Diamondbacks fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Since I was out of range this week – I will be leaving a one-star review on Yellowstone’s TripAdvisor page, due to the lack of wifi – there was no specifically D-backs related question this week. So let’s just discuss the national poll, sent out to those on the list (and if you aren’t on it, the link above has you covered). There were three questions. The first was in regard to which executive was on the hottest seat. You probably won’t be surprised to discover that the Mets’ David Stearns was the clear winner there, at 62%. However, the Giants’ Buster Posey (20%) while the Red Sox – and former D-back – Craig Breslow (18%) also got significant support.
These are all examples of teams with large payrolls, in excess of $210 million cash value per Spotrac, putting them comfortably in the top half of MLB spending this year. But they are also all struggling: the Red Sox, at 38-48, have the best record. We’re still not even at the All-Star break, and they only have a fifteen percent chance of making the playoffs, according to Fangraphs – and that feels generous to me. The Mets and Giants might as well pack it up and go home. New York and Boston have already fired their managers, and one wonders how long San Francisco will stick with Tony Vitello, the first man to go straight from a college job to MLB management.
Related: another question was “Who won the Rafael Devers trade?” and a resounding victory there was “No one” at 69%. However, the Red Sox did beat the Giants in the remainder, by a 22-9 percent margin. That seems fair. Boston did get to dump a massive contract for a player who was increasingly toxic there. However, the players they got back have either fizzled, or been traded on. For example, Kyle Harrison was yesterday’s starter for the Brewes against the D-backs, and despite his struggles there, is 8-1 with an excellent 2.82 ERA. Meanwhile, Devers has been worth just 3.2 bWAR over a year and a half. He’s on the SF books for seven more seasons and $225 million. Yep. Happy not to be them.

The Mets were blown out in the finale against the Blue Jays to drop the series. Starter Freddy Peralta was awful again putting the Mets behind early. The offense didn’t score until the game was well out of hand and all told it was just another sloppy loss in a season full of them.
Choose your recap: Amazin’ Avenue, Athletic, Daily News, Faith and Fear in Flushing, MLB.com, NY Post
One of the only positives coming out of the lopsided loss was Carson Benge’s home run off of a lefty.
Owner Steve Cohen went on a podcast and discussed a variety of topics including the alleged feud between Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor, David Stearns’s job, the firing of Carlos Mendoza, the ejection of a fan at Citi Field holding a sign against Stearns, his unhappiness with the season, and the future of the team.
Luke Weaver has been one of the most dominant relievers in all of baseball, but should the Mets trade him at the deadline since he still has another year on his contract?

With the Mets' 2026 season having gone completely off the rails, the owner of the team is standing by his president of baseball operations. Steve Cohen was a guest on a podcast, and while being interviewed, he offered up a variety of responses that offered support to Stearns just a few days after the organization fired manager Carlos Mendoza.
In supporting Stearns, Cohen highlighted the need for the organization to be able to commit to a long-term plan and mentioned that it would be tough to attract people to the club if he were to fire someone like Stearns for short-term plans. He also made a point that Stearns was in charge when the Mets made it to the National League Championship Series in 2024.
Stearns is in the third season of a five-year, $50 million contract as the team's head of baseball ops. The Mets are 208-202 thus far in the regular season under his leadership.

NEW YORK — Before Andy Green led the Mets in his first game as interim manager on Friday night, he discussed how he was not exactly running toward the manager's seat.
Green had turned down other chances to interview for manager positions across Major League Baseball. He grew to love his role as the Mets' senior vice president of player development and had a great deal of respect for Carlos Mendoza, who had been let go that morning.
"This felt like a responsibility more than an opportunity once it was made known to me that there was nothing that was going to change the change," Green said. "Once I learned that, I genuinely believe that given my life experience, I was best positioned to help over the next three months and see what we can get done as a group."
Green will slide back into his role as the team's farm director after the 2026 season. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said the club's front office will begin a comprehensive manager search in the offseason.
After Mendoza, a first-year manager, went from the height of 2024's trip to the National League Championship Series to the depths of last season's failure and this year's sputtering start, the next decision between a tested leader or an up-and-coming baseball mind should be an intriguing one.

Former New York Mets hitting coach and bench coach Eric Chavez offered a brutal takedown of David Stearns, the team’s president of baseball operations, in an episode of “The EC3 Pod” on June 28.
Stearns has come under heavy criticism for the Mets’ struggles in 2026. Although manager Carlos Mendoza was fired with team off to a 35-48 start, many have pointed to Stearns’ off-season roster moves as being primarily responsible for the team’s poor play.
MORE: Freefalling Mets lose another infielder to injured list
For a fan or even a reporter to register that complaint is one thing. Chavez’s time with the Mets began as the team’s hitting coach in 2022, before he became bench coach in 2023. When the Mets hired Stearns after the 2023 season, Chavez moved back to the hitting coach position from 2024-25.
Chavez used his podcast appearance to unpack his (mostly negative) first-hand impressions of Stearns from their two seasons together.

David Peterson was driving home following Wednesday's doubleheader when he received word from David Stearns that he'd been traded to the Chicago Cubs.
Peterson, the longest-tenured Met, was surprised at first but then looked forward to the new opportunity.
"Obviously some shock in the moment," he told reporters Friday. "Drafted by the Mets, spent 10 years there, a lot of great memories, great people, but you kind of move on to the next step -- it's the business, so I'm excited."
That next step presents an intriguing change of scenery for Peterson.
The 30-year-old lefty hasn't pitched the same since cracking his first All-Star team last year, carrying over his brutal second-half into spring training and the first three months of this season.