Mets' Stearns returns to Milwaukee with his new team's playoff hopes on the line

MILWAUKEE (AP) — New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns finds himself in an unusual situation this weekend as he returns to American Family Field for the first time since leaving the Milwaukee Brewers.

His current team is trying to clinch a postseason berth by beating the annual playoff contender he helped build.

“I think at this point I have enough distance for it,” Stearns said before the Mets' 8-4 loss to the Brewers on Friday night. “That roster has turned over pretty considerably since I’ve been in the seat here. I certainly know a lot of the people over there, I know a lot of the players over there, but I think there’s been enough distance at this point.”

Stearns joined the Brewers in October 2015 as general manager and was promoted to president of baseball operations before the 2019 season. He stepped down after the 2022 season and remained with the Brewers in an advisory role while Matt Arnold — his former right-hand man — took over as president of baseball operations. Stearns left Milwaukee entirely last fall to run baseball operations for the team he rooted for as a kid growing up in New York City.

He believed this was his first time back at American Family Field since August 2023. The Brewers opened the season by sweeping the Mets in New York, but the teams hadn’t faced each other since.

Now they’re meeting again with the Mets’ season on the line.

The Mets are competing with the Atlanta Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks for the NL's final two wild-card spots. The Mets' loss and the Braves' 3-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Friday left them with identical 87-71 records. The Diamondbacks fell to 88-72 with their 5-3 loss to the San Diego Padres.

As Stearns noted, the Brewers’ roster has changed quite a bit since he departed. Milwaukee's starting lineup Friday included only four players — second baseman Brice Turang, right fielder Sal Frelick, left fielder Jackson Chourio and shortstop Willy Adames — who joined the organization when Stearns was in charge.

Even so, Stearns played a major role in helping the Brewers put together the longest sustained run of success in franchise history. Milwaukee clinched the NL Central title last week and will be making its sixth playoff appearance in the last seven years. That run of postseason bids came shortly after Stearns engineered the blockbuster acquisition of Christian Yelich, the 2018 NL MVP.

Milwaukee had made the playoffs just twice in a 35-year stretch from 1983-2017.

“It’s fun being back here,” Stearns said. “I’m glad I’m back here when games really matter for us. We’re playing for something that’s really important, so we have to go out and have a good series.”

Stearns is now trying to get back in the playoffs with the Mets, which could result in a return to Milwaukee next month. But that path just got quite a bit more complicated.

The Mets face the possibility of playing a doubleheader in Atlanta on Monday — the day after the scheduled end of the regular season — for the right to begin a Wild Card Series on Tuesday. That scenario developed because New York's scheduled Wednesday and Thursday games in Atlanta were rained out.

“Nobody wants to play a doubleheader on Monday,” Stearns said. “The Braves didn’t want that outcome, MLB didn’t want that outcome and certainly we didn’t want that outcome. I think it’s easy in retrospect to say that we could have done things differently to get there. It’s also really tough in the moment to predict exactly what the weather is going to do. There are a whole host of considerations that everyone is working through in order to make the best decision possible.

"The reality is we may have to play a doubleheader on Monday, and if we do, we’ll do the best that we can.”

Stearns was asked if he believed the start of a Wild Card Series should be pushed back a day if that Monday doubleheader takes place. The twinbill would only happen if the Mets’ and Braves’ playoff fates aren’t settled by then.

“That’s not my decision, and so I’m not really thinking about it,” Stearns said. “Whenever we play, we play.”

If New York ends up as the third NL wild card, Stearns would be seeing his former team again with even more at stake as the Mets and Brewers square off in a best-of-three series.

“Our focus is on to get into the playoffs,” Stearns said. “If we get into the playoffs, we’ll play whoever we need to play.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

New York Mets pitcher Luis Severino throws in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso came back out onto the field to take pictures with his family after a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/John Munson)

New York Mets' Jesse Winker, left, and Brandon Nimmo celebrate Nimmo's home run in the sixth inning during a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/John Munson)

New York Mets relief pitcher Edwin Diaz (39) reacts after striking out Kody Clemens for the final out of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/John Munson)

A tarp covers the infield as rain comes down at Truist Park after the baseball game between the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves as postponed, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Atlanta. The Mets-Braves games scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday are postponed and will be made up as a doubleheader Monday, Sept. 30. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

FILE - New York Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns responds to questions during a news conference about MLB trade deadline deals, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith, File)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Rhys Hoskins hit a grand slam off Sean Manaea in the first inning and the New York Mets’ playoff hopes took a hit Friday night with an 8-4 loss to the NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers.

The Mets, Arizona Diamondbacks and Atlanta Braves are chasing the final two National League wild cards. The Mets and Braves have identical 87-71 records after Atlanta beat the Kansas City Royals 3-0 on Friday. The Diamondbacks fell to 88-72 after losing 5-3 to the San Diego Padres later Friday night.

“They kept fighting,” said Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, who was ejected by plate umpire Ramon De Jesus after arguing a called third strike on Francisco Alvarez in the fourth inning. “We got down early, and we didn't give up. Turn the page, and we've got to get ready for tomorrow.”

New York’s loss spoiled the return of star shortstop Francisco Lindor, who went 2 for 4 with a walk and committed an error in his first appearance since Sept. 15. Lindor had played only one inning over the Mets’ past 10 games due to lower back pain.

While the Mets are still competing for a postseason berth, the Brewers already are locked into the No. 3 seed in the NL playoffs and will open a Wild Card Series Tuesday in Milwaukee.

“We know what’s at stake this weekend for those guys,” said Hoskins, a Mets nemesis dating to his days with rival Philadelphia. “Obviously, we’re trying to do what we can to be as prepared as we can for Tuesday by playing good baseball, so to get off on the right foot in the first game of a series is huge for us.”

Hoskins’ first-inning drive was his third grand slam and Milwaukee's 10th of the season, both tying franchise records.

The only other Brewers to have three grand slams in a season were John Jaha in 1995, Devon White in 2001 and John Vander Wal in 2003. The only other year the Brewers hit 10 grand slams was 1995.

Brice Turang went 3 for 4 with three runs and three of Milwaukee's six steals — increasing his season total to 50. Gary Sánchez homered late.

The only other players in franchise history to have at least 50 steals in a season were Tommy Harper (73 in 1969), Scott Podsednik (70 in 2005), Jonathan Villar (62 in 2016) and Pat Listach (54 in 1992). Harper’s 73 steals came in the franchise’s inaugural season, when they were the Seattle Pilots.

“I'm not really chasing numbers — just chasing opportunities to put myself in a better situation to score a run,” Turang said.

Milwaukee improved to 11-1 in its last 12 games against the Mets, including a 4-0 record this year.

Hoskins’ slam gave the Brewers an early 4-0 lead over Manaea, who had allowed more than three runs in only one of his last 12 starts. Manaea (12-6) gave up six runs — five earned — while lasting just 3 2/3 innings. New York had won his previous eight outings.

“We're fighting for our lives over here, and to do that doesn't feel good,” Manaea said. “But this team's resilient."

The Mets trailed 5-0 before Mark Vientos hit a two-run homer off starter Frankie Montas in the third.

New York then had runners on first and second with two outs in the fourth when Alvarez worked a 10-pitch at-bat before he struck out looking at a 3-2 pitch that appeared a bit low.

The Mets scored two runs off Hoby Milner in the eighth to cut Milwaukee's lead to 7-4, but a brilliant catch by rookie Jackson Chourio in deep left-center helped limit the damage. Sánchez provided more breathing room with a 425-foot shot to left off Alex Young in the bottom half.

Joe Ross (3-6) pitched three innings of shutout relief to earn the win. Trevor Megill got the final out in the eighth and worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 21st save in 24 opportunities.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Brewers RF Sal Frelick left after crashing into the sidewall while trying to make a leaping catch of a foul ball in the third inning. Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said Frelick will undergo an MRI on Saturday.

Alvarez exited with back spasms after sliding into third in the seventh.

UP NEXT

Mets LHP Jose Quintana (10-9, 3.74 ERA) will start Saturday night in the middle game of the series. Milwaukee RHP Tobias Myers (8-6. 3.09) will pitch, though he won't necessarily start.

Quintana has thrown a career-high 22 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings and allowed one earned run over 32 innings in his last five outings, winning the past four. He hasn't pitched since Sept. 18.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Milwaukee Brewers' Rhys Hoskins hits a grand slam during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Rhys Hoskins gestures after hitting a grand slam during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

New York Mets' Francisco Alvarez (4) reacts after striking out during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

New York Mets' Mark Vientos (27) is congratulated at the dugout by Harrison Bader (44) after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Sal Frelick, center, walks off the field during the third inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Milwaukee. Frelick left the game after suffering an injury. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

New York Mets' Francisco Alvarez loses his helmet after swinging during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

New York Mets' Tyrone Taylor makes a leaping catch of a ball during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, right, yells to umpire Ramon De Jesus, second from right, after being ejected during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio, right, hits an RBI-single during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio is congratulated after hitting an RBI single during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

Milwaukee Brewers' Rhys Hoskins is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a grand slam during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)