Martinez’s one-year deal worth a total of $12 million with the Mets was initially reported by The Post’s Jon Heyman late on Thursday night. Martinez spent all of his 2023 campaign with the Dodgers, where he posted a .893 OPS with 33 home runs and 103 RBI.

Photo by Roberto Carlo

“Martinez gave advanced consent for a specific minor league stint, likely 10 days, to build the at-bats he missed by being unsigned for almost all of spring training,” Sherman wrote.

A ten-day stint in the minor leagues, whether in Triple-A or extended spring training, would place Martinez’s regular season debut around when the Mets head to Atlanta for their first series with the Braves in 2024.

The news of Martinez starting the year in the minor leagues also gives way for one player to make the Mets’ Opening Day roster that otherwise would have been optioned, with the most likely beneficiary being Mark Vientos. He has struggled at times this spring, but he currently leads the Mets in homers with five while producing a slash line of .226/.255/.547.

Beyond Vientos, other options to make the Mets while Martinez ramps up include veteran first basemen Luke Voit and Jiman Choi in addition to infielders Jose Iglesias and Zack Short. However, none of the aforementioned players have minor league options, meaning that selecting their contract just to later remove them from the roster for Martinez would likely result in the Mets losing valuable depth from their organization.

Ultimately, whoever cracks the Opening Day roster will likely lose their spot to Martinez once he is ready to make his debut with the Mets. The now 36-year-old will give the team their first full-time DH since the National League adopted the rule ahead of the 2022 campaign. The Mets have tried to platoon at that spot over the past few years with Daniel Vogelbach representing their most prominent bat at the position during that time frame. Ultimately, Martinez will be a staple in the lineup this season, which could make all the difference in the world for the offense.

The post J.D. Martinez To Open 2024 in Minor Leagues appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Having recently gained approval from the Mets, Ronny Mauricio is set to play for the Tigres Del Licey, primarily at third base during the Dominican Winter League. The 22-year-old’s journey began last offseason when he earned the LIDOM MVP title, leading the league in various offensive categories. For his inaugural appearance for the Tigres, Mauricio was slotted in at designated hitter and penciled in the second spot in the batting order. In his LIDOM season debut, Mauricio went 0-for-4 but managed to draw a walk.

Now onto the morning briefing!

Ronny Mauricio. John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

The New York Mets officially announced the signing of infielder Joey Wendle. As reported by Joel Sherman from the New York Post, aside from the $2 million base salary, Wendle has the opportunity to earn an extra $100,000 for achieving milestones at 250, 300, 350, 400, and 450 plate appearances.

Jayson Stark of The Athletic advocates for a long look at former Mets infielder David Wright and his case for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. This is Wright’s first year on the Hall of Fame Ballot alongside former infield mate Jose Reyes.

Michelle Margaux of SNY asked Mets legend Mike Piazza on how the Mets and Pete Alonso extension negotiations should play out. Piazza replied by saying, “He’s a great player and guys like him don’t grow on trees… I hope there is synergy there and they’re able to come to an agreement”

Latest MLB News

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Brewers and 19-year-old standout center field prospect Jackson Chourio are poised to finalize the most lucrative contract ever for a player yet to make his major league debut. The anticipated agreement is likely to span eight guaranteed years, approaching $80 million, and will feature two team options.

As reported by Eno Sarris of The Athletic, sources from Britt Ghiroli and him reveals that Sarah Gelles is set to join the Pirates as an Assistant General Manager. Gelles began her professional career with an internship at the Pirates before progressing through the ranks in Baltimore and Houston.

For the third consecutive season, Major League Baseball announced Shohei Ohtani as the recipient of the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award. This award, presented annually to the top designated hitter since the introduction of the DH rule in 1973, was renamed in honor of Edgar Martinez in 2004.

Former MetThomas Szapucki, left-handed pitcher, has been re-signed by the Giants on a minor league contract, as noted by the transactions tracker on MLB.com. Despite being non-tendered by the club just a couple of weeks ago, he has now been assigned to Triple-A Sacramento.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Arizona Diamondbacks have addressed their player development director position by appointing Shaun Larkin. Larkin, who served the last eight seasons with the Dodgers, holding the role of field director, steps in for Josh Barfield. Barfield departed the organization in late September to join the Chicago White Sox.

Latest on MMO

On the latest episode of MMO Weekly, our very own Rivka Boord joins the show to discuss the recently announced Luis Severino and Joey Wendle signings, Rivka lays out her dream offseason plan for the Mets (spoiler: it includes Yoshinobu Yamamoto), the latest on Pete Alonso, and much more!

Michael Mayer highlights the Mets latest front office moves.

On This Date in Mets History

1998: On December 1, 1998, Mets GM Steve Phillips orchestrated a three-way trade involving the Los Angeles Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles. Todd Hundley was sent to the Dodgers, along with Charles Johnson, in exchange for Roger Cedeño. However, Johnson was quickly traded to Baltimore for reliever Armando Benitez. The Mets, buying low on these players who had fallen out of favor with their original teams, saw both Cedeño and Benitez flourish. Benitez had a standout 1999 season, recording 128 strikeouts in 78 innings with a 1.85 ERA. Cedeño, given the opportunity to play regularly, set a Mets record with 66 stolen bases and contributed to the team’s success, ending a 13-year playoff drought in 1999.

Birthdays: Josh Walker (29), Javier Báez (31), Greg McMichael (57), Julio Machado (58), Herm Winningham (62), Tom Filer (67), Dan Schatzeder (69), Dan Warthen (71), George Foster (75)

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Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Updated Post – Dec 22, 11:10

Scott Boras told reporters on Thursday that Carlos Correa will take his physical with the Mets today. “There is no current issue with Carlos’ health whatsoever,” Boras said. Boras expects results from Correa’s physical within 24 to 48 hours, and the deal to become official after that.

Correa agreed to sign a 12-year, $315 million deal with the Mets after his 13-year, $350 million deal with the Giants fell apart because San Francisco was concerned about an old injury that popped up in the review of medical reports.

Original Post – Dec. 21, 2:53

In a sudden plot twist, the Mets have reportedly signed star free agent shortstop Carlos Correa to a 12-year, $315 million deal, Jon Heyman of New York Post reported late Tuesday night. The deal is pending a medical. Susan Slusser of SF Chronicle confirmed Heyman’s report.

The Mets were heavily tied to Correa just hours before he was reported to sign a 13-year contract with the Giants a week ago. However, his press conference that was originally scheduled for earlier Tuesday was postponed, leaving his status questionable. Even after the Mets (at the time) lost out on Correa, owner Steve Cohen publicly expressed his willingness to go all out and spend big on the best free agents.

Heyman followed up by reporting that Correa’s camp and the Giants had a “difference of opinion” on the medical.

“This really makes a big difference,” Cohen told the NY Post. “I felt like our pitching was in good shape. We needed one more hitter. This puts us over the top.”

Correa’s massive contract becomes slightly less massive with this new deal, with one year and $35 million less than he was supposed to get with the Giants. It’ll still take the 28-year-old to his age-40 season. Correa’s previous deal would have been the fourth-largest money guarantee in MLB history, and most ever for a shortstop.

Correa owns a .279/.357/.479 batting line in his career, with which he spent the first seven years on the Astros and the eighth with the Twins. He posted a 140 wRC+ and 4.4 fWAR last year. Put simply, he’s been one of the consistently best shortstops in the game since he debuted in 2015. He’ll now join a star-studded infield with Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil, likely slotting in at third base with Lindor already manning short. Lindor and Correa previously played together for Team Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.

The deal gives the Mets a payroll of over $380 million, with a winter that’s included a handful of major splashes. Cohen isn’t messing around.

The post Carlos Correa Taking Physical Today appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen has made it clear that he will do whatever it takes to keep his promise to Mets fans, no matter the price.

In a wide-ranging and eye-opening interview with Jon Heyman of The New York Post, Cohen spoke about missing out on star free agent shortstop Carlos Correa, spending a boatload of cash this offseason and being in play for other big name free agents further down the road.

Perhaps the biggest nugget to emerge from the interview was the fact that blowing through the luxury tax threshold and having to deal with the so-called “Steve Cohen Tax” doesn’t faze him one bit. Rather, Cohen made clear he will continue to spend whatever he has to in order to keep improving this team and keep his promise to Mets fans, which is to win and win big.

“I made a commitment to the fans,” Cohen told The Post. “If it means I have to spend money to fulfil that commitment, so be it. My team is good. But it isn’t that much better than last year. If you want a team that’s good, this is what it costs. What are you going to do?”

The Mets made a huge splash this offseason by signing three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander to a two-year, $86 million deal, and they followed that up by signing José Quintana to a two-year, $26 million deal, Kodai Senga to a five-year, $75 million contract, David Robertson to a one-year $10 million deal, and veteran catcher Omar Narváez to a one-year, $8 million contract. The front office also re-signed star closer Edwin Diaz to a five-year, $102 million contract, and outfielder Brandon Nimmo to an eight-year, $162 million deal.

As a result, the payroll for the 2023 season is at around $350 million and the total tax is past $70 million. But, with Cohen himself wanting to add more offense, the spending may not be done yet for the Mets who have been the biggest and most aggressive spenders this winter. And Cohen continued to double down on not being worried about making a personal loss.

“It’s OK, it’s not the end of the world,” Cohen said about losses. “The tax was 70 cents. Now 90 cents. It’s only another 20 cents. It wasn’t like all or nothing. You have to decide. You either pay it or you don’t. I’ve been dealing with big numbers for so long these numbers don’t scare me at all. It’s not like I’m not respectful about what these other teams have to deal with. I’m making money. I have this other job that generates a good living. It’s not like it’s a zero-sum game.”

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Perhaps the biggest indicator that Cohen isn’t worried about the steep personal cost that comes with blowing through the luxury tax thresholds is the fact that he was all in on Correa. Our very own Michael Mayer reported on Tuesday that the Mets had made contact with agent Scott Boras about the potential of signing Correa. Ultimately, the free agent shortstop signed a 13-year, $350 million contract with the San Francisco Giants.

Heyman notes in his article that Cohen was willing to go to the $300 million mark for Correa, but it didn’t help the Mets joined the party late with Correa already way down the line in negotiations with the Giants by the time Cohen made contact. Cohen’s love of Correa as a player shone through in the comments he made to Heyman.

“We thought maybe he might fall to us,” Cohen said.” “We got there late. He’s a great leader and a good guy. He could play third-base. And he’s a great defender. We would have gotten a good ballplayer, and it would have given us a great ball team.”

While Cohen ultimately missed out on Correa, he told Heyman that “we’re definitely trying” when it comes to the Mets becoming a perennial winner. Plus, Cohen also stated in the interview that there will “always be another free agent.” With that in mind, don’t be surprised if the Mets and Cohen are all in on two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani next year. Because, as the interview makes clear, Cohen will spend whatever he has to in order to bring unprecedented success to Queens. Just as he promised Mets fans when he gained ownership of the franchise.

Check out the full New York Post interview by clicking HERE.

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Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

While the MLB Winter Meetings may be in the books, the offseason rolls on and there are still plenty of big names left on the board with a plethora of teams still looking to make a statement and address needs. We at MMO are going to delve right in and round up the latest rumors involving the New York Mets and the rest of MLB for you.

Swanson, Braves Not Talking

Despite the fact that over $2 billion has been spent in baseball this winter, there are still some big names available and star shortstop Dansby Swanson is one of them. Per MLB.com, Swanson and the Atlanta Braves are yet to stage any real negotiations although the team did offer a six-year deal worth roughly $17 million per year at some point this year. With Carlos Correa the only other elite shortstop left on the market, Swanson will get paid one way or the other even if that isn’t with the Braves.

Nimmo Had Offer From Giants

San Francisco just can’t beat New York. Per Mike Puma of the New York Post, outfielder Brandon Nimmo had an offer on the table from the Giants prior to signing an eight-year, $162 million contract with the Mets on Thursday. After losing out to the New York Yankees in the Aaron Judge sweepstakes, the Giants pivoted to Nimmo and actually made an offer before owner Steve Cohen and general manager Billy Eppler joined forces to ensure Nimmo returned to Queens. San Francisco will now have to look elsewhere for outfield reinforcements after missing out on two of their top targets.

Mets Still Not Done

Despite blowing past the $300 million mark in payroll this offseason after signing Justin Verlander, José Quintana, David Robertson and re-signing Edwin Díaz and Brandon Nimmo, the Mets are still not done. Multiple reports have suggested the team are still very much in on free agent starter Kodai Senga, while there are still needs to be addressed when it comes to the bullpen and more pop in the lineup. And, per Jon Heyman, veteran starter Nate Eovaldi is yet another name that has been linked with the Mets. Put it this way; don’t be surprised if owner Steve Cohen ends up committing over $400 million in payroll for the 2023 season.

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Lugo Drawing Interest As A Starter

Seth Lugo is attracting plenty of interest in free agency and, per Jon Heyman of The Post, the Dodgers, Padres and Nationals are all willing to give the righty a chance to start in 2023. Lugo pitched to a 2.67 ERA as a starter during his rookie year back in 2016, while he started 17 games for the Mets in 2017. However, injuries resulted in the 33-year-old being relegated to the bullpen and he’s been used largely as a set-up man ever since. That could now change with a number of teams at least open to signing Lugo and then allowing him to start in 2023.

Veterans Getting Plenty Of Looks

Former Met Justin Turner and veteran third baseman Evan Longoria are both not short of suitors this winter, per Jon Heyman of The Post. Turner, who was linked to a return to Queens at one point this offseason, is drawing interest from the likes of the Diamondbacks, the Dodgers and the Marlins. The Diamondbacks are also in on Longoria, as are four other teams with both players still able to offer plenty despite their advanced years.

Rodón May End Up In NYC After All

Prior to signing Verlander to a big-ticket deal, the Mets were also reported to be in on Carlos Rodón but they ultimately decided to sign a three-time Cy Young Award winner and two-time World Series champion in Verlander as a direct replacement for Jacob deGrom. However, according to Heyman of The Post, Rodón may still end up in The Big Apple with the Yankees keen on another star in the rotation and a lefty at that. Rodón is the best starter left on the market and he would tick a lot of boxes for the Yankees. The only issue seems to be the length of the contract with the Yankees not wanting to go above five years for a 30-year-old. Watch this space.

Kepler Being Shopped

The Minnesota Twins are exploring options to trade outfielder Max Kepler, per Aaron Gleeman and Dan Hayes of The Athletic. With the outfield market now razor thin with Judge and Nimmo both opting to return to their respective teams, Kepler could be an intriguing option for teams who are looking for help in the outfield. Kepler has spent his entire career with the Twins and is a career 232/.317/.427/.744 hitter with 129 home runs and 400 RBI.

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Oct 4, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Jameson Taillon (50) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

With Jacob deGrom now officially a member of the Texas Rangers, the New York Mets are turning their attention to other pitchers and are showing interest in free agent starter Jameson Taillon, per Jon Heyman of The New York Post.

After deGrom sent shockwaves through the baseball world on Friday by signing a five-year, $185 million contract with the Rangers, the hard work starts now for the Mets as they look to rebuild their rotation and rebound after losing a franchise cornerstone. And, according to Heyman, they are just one of many teams in on Taillon.

Interestingly, Heyman notes that the Rangers are also interested in Taillon despite just committing multiple years and major bucks to deGrom, with the market for Taillon thought to be huge. Heyman also states that the righty is in line to receive an “extremely good deal” in this current market.

Taillon, who was the second overall pick in the 2010 MLB Draft, had a solid campaign in 2022 with the Yankees, posting a 3.91 ERA in 32 starts across 177 1/3 innings. He struckout 151 and walked just 32, establishing himself as a key piece in a Yankees rotation that was dominant for large parts of the 2022 season.

The 31-year-old has struggled with injuries throughout his career but he boasts a career 3.84 ERA in 143 career starts. Taillon is projected to land a three-year deal worth around $44 million in free agency, per Spotrac.com, and he should be a solid middle-of-the-rotation pitcher for a legit contender.

Heyman also notes that the Baltimore Orioles are focussed on pitching this winter and are in on free agent starter Carlos Rodón, who the Mets have spoken with as they look to reshape their rotation heading into 2023. With deGrom now in Texas and Chris Bassitt and Taijuan Walker also both free agents, that leaves just Max Scherzer and Carlos Carrasco as the only certainties in the rotation for the 2023 season.

Finally, with the Winter Meetings set to get underway on Sunday, Hot Stove season is starting to heat up and Heyman reports that the Yankees have kicked the tires on free agent outfielder Brandon Nimmo. It doesn’t appear clear at first if the leadoff hitter would be a fit in pinstripes unless Aaron Judge signs elsewhere in free agency, while the Mets, Blue Jays, Giants and the Rays remain in on the 29-year-old. It remains to be seen whether or not Nimmo will join deGrom in signing elsewhere this winter, or will indeed return to Queens.

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Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Despite the sour finish to both his own and the team’s season in 2022, it’s hard to call Max Scherzer’s first season in Queens anything but a rousing success. The three-time Cy Young Award winner finished with a career-low 2.29 ERA and 169 ERA+ in 145.1 IP while finishing the season at 38-years-old. Scherzer also brought a strong presence to the Mets clubhouse. Along with NL Manager of the Year Buck Showalter, Scherzer had an undeniable hand in helping turn the Mets into a respected, well-run team during their 101-win season.

If there were any trepidations Scherzer had about signing in New York ahead of the 3-year, $130 million contract he signed in the 2021 offseason, it sounds like those fears went away pretty quickly. During an appearance on The New York Post’s “The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman” podcast, Scherzer described the special vibe of the Mets clubhouse last season.

“I got there and fell in love immediately”, Scherzer said. “Especially with Billy and Buck in charge, I thought they were great in what they were able to do. I fell in love with the team a lot quicker than I even thought I was going to. Really good dudes, and we had a really good clubhouse. It didn’t feel like we had any bad eggs, and when you have that kind of chemistry that’s when you go out there and you win.”

Scherzer also touched on his reaction to seeing the Philadelphia Phillies, a team the Mets went 14-5 against in 2022, go on a surprise run to the World Series despite finishing in third in the NL East behind the Mets and the Atlanta Braves.

“We faced that Phillies team a lot, and even though we had some success against them, we also recognized they were a team that could do damage in the postseason. They had the pitching, they had some bullpen, they had a lineup that could slug … I’m actually kind of happy the NL East keeps putting teams in the World Series … I look at it as the NL East keeps producing great ballclubs.”

The Mets, Braves, and Phillies will likely do battle again for NL East superiority in 2023, and Scherzer will play a huge part in whatever success the Mets have. If Mets GM Billy Eppler and the rest of the front office are able to put together a clubhouse with nearly the same amount of chemistry and talent as they had in the 2022 season, it will put the team in a great position for a return trip to the playoffs.

The post Scherzer Says He ‘Fell in Love Immediately’ With Mets appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets have decided against extending the qualifying offer to right-handed pitcher Taijuan Walker, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Walker rejected a $7.5 million player option earlier this week and, with the Mets deciding not to pick up the $19.65 million qualifying offer, the righty will now hit free agency with no restrictions and will not be subject to draft pick compensation. Free agency opens at 5 p.m. ET tonight.

However, also per Heyman, the Mets will extend qualifying offers to pitchers Jacob deGrom and Chris Bassitt, and to outfielder Brandon Nimmo. All three will likely reject but it means the team will receive draft pick compensation if any of the trio sign elsewhere.

It is perhaps somewhat of a surprise that the Mets haven’t extended the qualifying offer to Walker, who gave the team two very solid years of baseball. After being signed as a free agent prior to the start of the 2021 season, the 30-year-old pitched to a superb 2.66 ERA in the first half before falling off after the All-Star break.

That was understandable given his lack of game time in the three years prior, but he bounced back in 2022 and was a valuable member of the rotation. In 29 starts, Walker went 12-5 with a 3.49 ERA, walking just 45 and striking out 132 in 157.1 innings pitched with a 1.195 WHIP and a 2.6 WAR.

Walker provided the Mets with some excellent depth after deGrom, Max Scherzer and Bassitt in the rotation, and he will likely receive plenty of interest in free agency from teams seeking a solid starter that can shore up the bottom of the rotation and be a dependable arm. For the Mets, it means they have plenty of work to do when it comes to pitching with deGrom and Bassitt both hitting the open market, although the team did pick up the $14 million option on Carlos Carrasco earlier today.

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Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

Francisco Lindor has been named the 2022 Marvin Miller Man of the Year by the Major League Baseball Players Association. For the award, players were asked to vote for the player they “most respect based on his leadership on the field and in the community.” In addition to being an involved and vocal leader on the field, Lindor has done plenty of work for his community in his free time and was a dedicated champion of players’ rights during the MLB lockout involving CBA negotiations this past offseason.

Now onto the morning briefing!

The MLBPA has voted Francisco Lindor the 2022 Marvin Miller Man of the Year winner. The award is given to the player whose whose on-field performance and contributions to his community inspire others to higher levels of achievement.
Hard to think of a more deserving recipient! pic.twitter.com/SOOscrZ0C5

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) November 4, 2022

Latest Mets News

Mike Puma of the New York Post spoke to Mark Canha recently. Canha expressed his desire to finish his career with the Mets and said of Jacob deGrom: “Jake told me he wants to come back, too, and he really likes it here, too.” 

Latest MLB News

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that all signs point to David Stearns not receiving permission to interview elsewhere while he is under contract with the Brewers in 2023.

Jon Heyman adds that the sale of the Los Angeles Angels is serious and will happen, and that the team will likely sell for more than the $2.4 billion Steve Cohen used to buy the Mets.

Jon Heyman continues that the Royals are expected to bring back Zack Greinke for the 2023 season.

The MLBPA announced its 31st Annual Players Choice Award Winners. Among the winners were Aaron Judge for overall Player of the Year and American League Outstanding Player, and Paul Goldschmidt for National League Outstanding Player.

Joon Lee of ESPN writes that, despite the fact that his contract expired on October 31, Brian Cashman will continue to act as the Yankees general manager.

In a press conference on Friday, Brian Cashman told the media that the Yankees will pick up Luis Severino‘s $15 million club option.

Matt Monagan of MLB.com spoke to Red Sox clubhouse manager Tom McLaughlin about the behind-the-scenes planning of a champagne celebration.

The Arizona Fall League announced its schedule and the rosters for “Fall Stars Weekend,” set to take place tonight and tomorrow night at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona.

In the aftermath of the Fernando Tatis PED suspension, James Wagner of the New York Times wonders why Dominican players make up half of the players suspended for positive drug tests.

The Orioles have signed Jake Cave to a contract for the 2023 season. Cave was claimed off waivers from the Twins on October 11.

Latest on MMO

Alexis Farinacci recaps the impressive 2022 season for the St. Lucie Mets.

Matthew Brownstein interviews Mets area scout Jim Reeves.

Michael Mayer lists what an expert believes Mets free agents will command on the open market.

On This Date in Mets History

1990: Darryl Strawberry became a free agent after eight stellar years with the Mets. Three days later, on November 8, he would sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers and his Mets career came to a close.

Birthdays: Jose Santiago (48), Mike Bishop (64), Jim Bethke (76)

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Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen was a guest on the latest episode of The Show – A NY Post Baseball Podcast with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman – on Wednesday and there were a lot of interesting nuggets to take from the interview.

Cohen has been basking in plenty of praise from Mets fans as of late having successfully brought Old Timer’s Day back to Queens, culminating in a truly special day at Citi Field on Saturday, and his team are in the midst of a great season under manager Buck Showalter.

It was perhaps the perfect time, then, to go on a podcast with two of the biggest baseball writers around and discuss a whole bunch of topics in relation to the Mets. After all, Cohen’s team is locked in an intense pennant race with the Atlanta Braves and hopes are high in Queens that a deep postseason run all the way to the World Series could actually be a realistic goal.

There were a number of interesting nuggets to emerge from the podcast, including the future of closer Edwin Diaz, competing with the Yankees and blowing through the luxury tax threshold. Here’s perhaps some of the biggest takeaways from Cohen’s conversation with Sherman and Heyman…

Winning a Ring

When Steve Cohen took ownership of the New York Mets around two years ago, he said right off the bat that his goal was to win a championship within his first five years. Two years in and that dream is looking very achievable, with the Mets well positioned to make a deep run this October.

“We’ve made a lot of progress,” Cohen said. “I would love to win the World Series – that would be fantastic. Only one team wins the World Series every year and, if I remember correctly, the Dodgers won seven or eight division titles before they actually won a World Series so it is hard to win. The only thing you do is put yourself in position where things can happen and hopefully that’s the case for us. I like this team, I like what they do, they are tenacious, they never give up and that is a pretty good character trait once you get into the playoffs.

“I like to set high goals and try to achieve them. There’s no guarantees we’ll get there. Like I said, only one team can win every year but you have to set high goals otherwise you just aren’t going to stretch and try and achieve things that others may think are difficult or impossible. That’s what I like to do and that is the type of thing I do in everything I do. I think that’s the right approach.”

Ballpark Experience

Citi Field has been a fun place to be this year from Edwin Diaz’s walk out song that’s now become a whole show to jersey retirements and other little additions that have made a big difference. Having a winning product on the field helps too, of course, and Cohen shed some light on what ownership have done to improve the overall ballpark experience for Mets fans this year.

“We’re always experimenting,” Cohen said. “We have DJ nights on Friday night and we’re always thinking of new ways to enhance the experience for our fans and we’re always trying new ideas. It is at the forefront of our minds and if we can get the young fans involved, then even better.”

There is no doubt that the overall fan experience has been so much better at Citi Field this year. And, again, while winning helps, it is clear that Cohen has made it his mission to ensure the fans leave the ballpark happy and eager to come back no matter the outcome on the field. And that’s important.

Competing with Yankees

The Mets will always be compared with the New York Yankees given that they share the same city, that’s just a fact of life. And, for decades, the Mets have been the little brother while the Yankees have won World Series after World Series and made yearly trips to the postseason. Cohen’s arrival changed the dynamic instantly and, with the Mets now a legit championship contender, Cohen was asked about competing to be the kings of New York with the Yankees.

“Do I want to kick their butt? I don’t need to kick their butt,” Cohen said in response to a question from Sherman. “They’re the Yankees, we’re the Mets, we’re going to do our thing and they are going to do their thing. Wherever it falls it falls and I really believe there is room for both of us in the city. It is a big city and I just don’t worry about the Yankees. I don’t feel like we’re competing with them. I feel like we’re trying to establish our own identity, our own brand, so I don’t really think about them.”

Given that the Wilpons had a long-standing obsession with the Yankees, an obsession that no doubt hindered what they were trying to do, it is refreshing to hear Cohen make it clear that he’s only worried about what the Mets do. After all, the Yankees are always going to be a huge brand so it makes perfect sense just to focus on making the Mets their own unique thing.

Sandy Alderson

One of the biggest storylines involving the Mets throughout Cohen’s ownership has been the presence of Sandy Alderson, who is currently the president of the Mets. There was a narrative back in the winter that Alderson’s heavy presence in the front office was off-putting to a lot of potential GM candidates, especially with Alderson’s son also involved with the organization.

There are some who believed that with general manager Billy Eppler in place, Alderson could eventually move on but Cohen made it clear that the long-time baseball executive still has a big role to play with the Mets.

“Listen, Sandy is going to continue to be a part of this,” Cohen said. “He’s been invaluable to me and he will continue to help me in any way that he can.”

Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Keeping the Band Together

Cohen was asked about the large number of key free agents the Mets will have to deal with after this season, including the likes of Jacob deGrom and Edwin Diaz. While revealing that contract discussions have not yet really begun with any of their players, Cohen did stress that those decisions will be made when the time is right and that the Mets will be competitive in trying to keep the players they want to.

“To be perfectly honest, we haven’t really sat down and we’ve been so busy thinking about what is going on in the present,” Cohen said. “We will sit down at the appropriate time and go over what our needs are for the next season and who we want to bring back. We’ve got a lot of great ballplayers here, they are doing extraordinary things, they are all free agents and they’ve earned that right. That is part of the deal and this is a big moment for them. I’m sure they will entertain offers and they should. Hopefully we will be more competitive and we will make those decisions when the time comes. We’ll see what happens.

“No one has an unlimited budget. The numbers can get extraordinary. We’ll have to figure it out and we will, we just haven’t got there yet.”

Cohen was then asked to dive a bit deeper on the futures of deGrom and Diaz, with the latter recently going over to the Cohen house for dinner.

“I haven’t had a direct conversation with Jacob on this,” Cohen said. “Obviously he’s been a great Met and he’s somebody that I would love to have back, but it is appropriate to have that conversation after the season. He’s been very clear that he wants to opt-out and he’s earned that right. At the appropriate time we’ll sit down and talk. I said it the other day and I’ll say it again; he’s the best pitcher in baseball and we’ll do whatever it takes to bring him back.

“I had Diaz out for dinner a couple of weeks ago. Terrific guy and he’s just had an extraordinary season. He’s just a great person and he’s got a great demeanor for the role, so calm, just comes in and does his thing, very likeable and I would love to have him back. They are people and they are not just employees. This isn’t just an impersonal relationship. They are important to me and I want them to know that they are important to me. It is not just you give me performance and I pay you, I think it should be beyond that. It is a great opportunity to get to know them, get to know what makes them tick and it is my style. It is what I do in my Hedge Fund. I always use the opportunity to get to know people on a personal level. It has worked for me and it is the proper thing to do. I’ll continue to do it.”

The fact that Cohen has built personal relationships with his players can only be a good thing when it comes to free agency, and it is also another clear-fire sign that the Mets owner is determined to do things the right way and make the organization one current and potential future ballplayers want to play for long-term.

Being Disciplined Financially

When it was announced that Cohen would become the new owner of the Mets, one of the biggest topics of conversation was just how much money he would spend given that he automatically became the richest owner in all of baseball. That naturally concerned a few of the other owners in MLB, and it has been a narrative that has stuck throughout Cohen’s tenure.

However, while Cohen has flashed the dollars in terms of bringing the likes of Max Scherzer and Starling Marte to Queens, he’s been pretty consistent in being sensible and not completely blowing through the luxury tax threshold. And, after being asked about the payroll in particular, Cohen addressed what the payroll may look like next season.

“We’ve been very disciplined this year,” Cohen said. “You’ve got to remember that we had a bad contract with Robinson Canó and we eat that contract, so I think we’ve been pretty disciplined in that regard. You’ve got to remember that we’ll be paying Canó next year as well. We’ll see what happens but I haven’t really even thought about what we’re going to do next year as far as the budget. I haven’t sat down with Billy (Eppler) and the rest of the team but that’s going to happen after the season. We can figure this out pretty quickly so I’m not worried about it. These decisions aren’t that hard. It really depends on who we want to bring back, what the other opportunities are out there and we’ll figure it out. That’s part of the process.

“I’m part of a community and I don’t want to just be flippant about what I want to do relative to what is going on in the rest of the baseball community – I’ve got to live in this world. I can’t just act like it doesn’t exist. We’re almost at $300 million – you should be able to build a pretty good team at $300 million dollars. If you can’t do that then that’s a problem.”

Old Timers’ Day

It took over two decades for the Mets to bring Old Timers’ Day back and Cohen was at the forefront of those efforts, culminating in a very special day at Citi Field a couple of weeks ago. Cohen also sprung a major surprise during the celebrations in retiring Willie Mays‘ No. 24 jersey, and Cohen finished his interview by explaining the decision behind that.

“It was really my decision,” Cohen said. “When I heard there was a promise made to Willie by Joan Payson and there was no follow through on that, I just felt there was an obligation by an owner that needed to be kept. I was going to follow through on that and I just felt that was the right thing to do. I had spoken to Willie, he had confirmed that and I’m glad I followed through on that. We want celebrate our history, I was very clear on that from day one and there will be others.”

All in all, it was a really insightful conversation with Cohen who hit all the right notes on a number of important issues. He gave some really honest answers on things like payroll and the crop of free agents the Mets will have to deal with very soon, and it is refreshing to here the owner of the New York Mets speak so in-depth and so candidly on a public forum.

Mets fans can listen to the full interview with Steve Cohen on The Show – A NY Post Baseball Podcast with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman – by clicking here.

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