With the first official team workout beginning on Monday and spring training games right around the corner, it’s never too early to start thinking about next season. Right?
Andy Martino of SNY reported Sunday that some around the league wouldn’t be shocked if Steve Cohen pursued Pete Alonso AND Juan Soto in free agency. Alonso expects to draw a hefty price tag, banking on his power — he’s hit the most home runs in baseball since his rookie season in 2019.
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Soto, on the other hand, is a beast of his own. While he won’t reach anywhere near Ohtani’s record-breaking $700 million deal, he might top Mike Trout‘s $426.5 million deal or land close to it. He’s a lifetime .284/.421/.524/.946 hitter and has led the league in walks three times in his young career.
The Mets find themselves in 2024 with plenty of “dead money.” This comes from contracts like Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander and James McCann, all players the team traded. However, when they enter 2025, they’ll shed around $56 million there. Martino projects their obligated contracts for 2025 to be around $155.1 million. That gives the Mets plenty to play with. More about the Mets’ current 2024 payroll can be found here.
While Steve Cohen has paid the luxury tax every season he’s owned the team, he might still have to come 2025. The rotation will need work, and free agent pitchers in the 2024 offseason will be the likes of Max Fried, Walker Buehler and Corbin Burnes.
What will also play a factor is how ready each prospect is. If Brett Baty isn’t working out at third or Mark Vientos can’t find his groove in the DH role, the team might have to spend in those positions. As all saw from this offseason, Cohen took a different approach than previous ones. Rather than spending to win, they’re investing in depth while thinking more future-minded. However, they will spend, and splurge, when needed, as they attempted in their Yoshinobu Yamamoto pursuit.
David Stearns and Steve Cohen expect the 2024 Mets to compete. The players plan to compete. The organization will adjust when they see fit come the trade deadline. What happens this season may very well dictate what the 2025 season looks like, and how Cohen decides to spend to construct a roster. Either way, he’ll have more freedom to spend his money with a significantly lower starting point.
