Days after dismantling his New York Mets’ historically expensive roster, owner Steve Cohen is vowing to field a competitive team in 2024 and apologizing for the “disappointment” of this season.
Cohen wrote to season-ticket holders, seeking to reassure them that the deadline trades of star pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, closer David Robertson, and outfielders Tommy Pham and Mark Canha for a series of prospects have positioned the Mets for future success.
“Things have not turned out how we planned,” Cohen wrote, “You are rightly disappointed, and so are we. This is not where we wanted to be in 2023. Our goal is to be a consistent contender. The only way to do this in a sustainable way is to build a pipeline of high-caliber talent in our farm system that will fuel our major league team for years to come.”
The Mets entered the season with a $344 million payroll, a league record by more than $50 million. Following the trades, the Mets now have more 2023 money committed to players not on the active roster than those who remain. The club is below .500 and far out of the postseason chase.
In the letter, Cohen also sought to focus on the Citi Field experience: “Our fans having a great time at the ballpark is important to us, and that’ll never change, [and] it will only get better as the years go on. Wait until you see what’s in store for next season.”
The letter references “supplementation” from the free-agent market to build a “formidable” Mets team for 2024. But last week, Cohen said he couldn’t be “all-in” on free agents, as “I’m carrying a lot of dead money. Trading Justin and Max creates a lot of dead money.”
