When Steve Cohen first bought the New York Mets back in 2020, he promised it would be different. Big signings. Big headlines. Big expectations that the Mets would finally bring home a championship and put the crosstown New York Yankees in the dust.
As John Wolff of Rising Apple pointed out, however, the novelty factor has worn off. Cohen’s constant demands for more and better have worn hollow, and what remains is a team that’s slightly over .500 that can’t get over the top.
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The numbers tell the story more specifically. The record is 435-391 for a winning percentage of 53 percent, but there have been a pair of postseason experiences. The Mets lost the Wild Card Series to the San Diego Padres in 2023, then advanced to the NLCS and lost to the Dodgers in 2024.
No one wants to talk about this year, of course, as the Mets played three months of championship baseball, then played three more months of awful baseball to collapse and miss the playoffs. Cohen said he’d be disappointed if the Mets didn’t win a championship in the first 3-5 years of his ownership, and that’s exactly where they are right now.
To his credit, Cohen has recognized that change is necessary. The Mets core now consists of outfielder Juan Soto and shortstop Francisco Lindor, and young starter Nolan McLean has been identified as the ace in waiting.
Moreover, Cohen has turned over the reins to his GM, David Stearns. Stearns is from the Milwaukee organization, so he’s used to doing things differently, with an emphasis on solid roster construction, sound fundamental baseball and fiscal austerity.
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As a result, multiple popular veterans are now gone. First baseman Pete Alonso and closer Edwin Diaz were allowed to leave in free agency, and outfielder Brandon Nimmo has been traded. The players who have been brought in are more fundamentally sound, and they’re on cheaper contracts, so Stearns is sticking to his principles.
Will it work? It’s too soon to tell at this point. The infield has been rebuilt with Marcus Semien at second and Jorge Polanco scheduled to get the most game action at first, but that’s just the first step. There are still holes in left and center, so that’s next up in the field.
The pitching staff is in a similar state of being half-built. Some of the new bullpen pieces are in place, but more additions are needed, and the starting rotation needs to be rebuilt. It’s not fair to make snap judgments at this point, other than the fact that things are definitely being done differently this time around.