New York Mets owner Steve Cohen has spent big over the years in hopes of propelling the team to World Series contention, but he’s yet to achieve his ultimate goal.
While speaking to reporters on Monday, Cohen made some fiery declarations, including saying that he’s “annoyed” by the fact that the Mets have yet to win a World Series since he became the team’s owner in 2020.
When asked about the back-to-back reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, Cohen told reporters, “They’re formidable. They have the ability to spend. So do I, by the way.”
Under Cohen’s leadership, the Mets made two playoff appearances in 2022 and 2024, making a surprising run to the NLCS and pushing the Dodgers to six games in the latter year. That offseason, Cohen made the biggest splash in the free-agent market by landing a historic deal for star outfielder Juan Soto following his lone year with the crosstown rival New York Yankees.
Despite the addition of Soto, the Mets massively fell short of expectations in 2025, finishing with an 83-79 record and missing the playoffs. The team was very active in retooling its roster this winter, acquiring star second baseman Marcus Semien and adding reliable relievers Luke Weaver and Devin Williams.
The new-look Mets will be under even more pressure to produce in 2026, and Cohen’s comments on Monday will only increase the team’s sense of urgency. He also raised some eyebrows with his definitive declaration that the team won’t have a team captain under his watch.
“It’s just my own views on how I want a locker room to be,” Cohen said. “My view is every year, the team’s different, and let the team kind of figure it out in the locker room rather than having a designation. Having a captain in baseball doesn’t happen often. It’s actually unusual. Whatever previous ownership did, that was their way of doing things. I look at things differently.”
It sounds like Cohen is done mincing words as the Mets gear up for the 2026 campaign, and another year falling short of expectations could result in some significant consequences.