Mets president David Stearns highlights Kodai Senga, Jorge Polanco and a rookie trio in pre-Padres notes

New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns used his pregame availability to look at the Mets’ current baseball-building picture, moving from established pieces to the organization’s newer arms. With Monday’s matchup against the Padres approaching, Stearns focused on how recent adjustments have played out on the field, especially for players whose roles have evolved during the season.

One of the central topics was Kodai Senga, whom Stearns discussed in the context of success as a reliever. In Mets team terms, Senga’s move to a bullpen role represents more than a simple position change. It reflects how the club has tried to use veteran experience and specific pitching skills to support late-game leverage and improve the quality of innings beyond the starting rotation.

Stearns also addressed Jorge Polanco and what the Mets are looking for from him at first base. Polanco’s position switch carries roster-management implications for New York because first base often serves as both an everyday defensive anchor and a lineup stabilizer. How a player transitions into the demands of the position can shape lineup continuity and how the Mets plan for future at-bats.

Beyond the veterans, Stearns pointed to a trio of rookie pitchers: Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, and Zac Thornton. By highlighting multiple rookies in the same discussion, the Mets underscored that their development pipeline is producing contributors at more than one spot on the pitching staff. For the organization, the question is not only whether rookies can get outs, but whether they can handle big-league adjustments, manage command in different counts, and hold up when opponents target their tendencies.

A comparison across rookie skill sets is part of what makes those pitchers important to the Mets’ outlook. Different pitchers can be asked to solve different in-game problems, and a team’s bullpen flexibility depends on having multiple arms who can pitch effectively in distinct game situations. Stearns’ emphasis suggests New York is tracking how each rookie fits into a broader plan rather than evaluating them in isolation.

Stearns’ comments came in the Mets’ public-facing “notes” format, which is typically designed to share progress updates, clarify organizational thinking, and provide context heading into a specific opponent. In this case, the opponent is the San Diego Padres, a club that can pressure teams with patient at-bats and aggressive baserunning when the timing is right, making bullpen reliability and position-by-position comfort particularly relevant.

What to watch next is how the Mets apply those stated themes during the series. If Senga continues to pitch in a way that supports high-leverage usage, New York’s late-inning plan could become steadier. If Polanco’s comfort at first base translates into fewer defensive issues and smoother lineup decisions, the Mets can better maintain their rhythm game to game. And if McLean, Scott, and Thornton show continued competence, the Mets will have even more options for protecting leads and managing innings as the season progresses.