MILWAUKEE – David Stearns is stepping away from his role as the Milwaukee Brewers’ president of baseball operations, saying Thursday he just needs a break and isn’t thinking about taking a job with any other organization.
Stearns will remain with the Brewers in an advisory role to owner Mark Attanasio. Matt Arnold, who has been the Brewers’ senior vice president and general manager since 2020, takes over the lead role in overseeing baseball operations.
“I’m looking forward to gaining some time that I haven’t really had before,” Stearns said at a news conference. “Looking forward to taking a deep breath. I’m looking forward to spending time with my family, looking forward to spending time with friends. And I’m looking forward to pursuing some other interests. I’m also not going anywhere. I’m going to be here in Milwaukee.”
Stearns’ tenure marked the Brewers’ greatest run of sustained success. He joined the Brewers in October 2015 as general manager and was named president of baseball operations before the 2019 season.
The team’s franchise-record string of four straight playoff appearances ended this season when they went 86-76 and finished a game behind the World Series-bound Philadelphia Phillies for the NL’s final wild-card berth.
Milwaukee’s ability to win consistently as a budget-conscious franchise made Stearns an attractive candidate for other organizations. The New York City native has been mentioned for years as a possibility to join the Mets’ front office.
The Brewers won 481 games over the last six seasons, behind only the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves among National League teams. He orchestrated the 2018 trade with the Miami Marlins that brought Christian Yelich to Milwaukee and helped turn the Brewers into legitimate contenders.
Yelich was the NL MVP in 2018, when the Brewers reached the NL Championship Series and f ell a game short of their first World Series appearance since 1982. Yelich finished second in the MVP balloting the following season.
Stearns said his favorite moment was the Brewers’ playoff victory over the Chicago Cubs to determine the 2018 NL Central champion.
“David’s impact on the organization has been transformational,” Attanasio said in a statement. “He has created a process that has yielded highly competitive teams consistently and raised expectations to a new level both internally and with our fans.”
But this season, Stearns encountered strong criticism…