Steve Cohen’s arrival as Mets owner seemed to mark the end of playing second fiddle to the Yankees. He demonstrated his financial muscle through major acquisitions like Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Edwin Diaz, Kodai Senga, and others, suggesting a transformed franchise willing to spend whatever it took to bring elite talent to Queens.
That optimism faded after a catastrophic 2025 campaign where seemingly everything went sideways. In Soto’s debut season with the team, New York failed to reach October, making major roster adjustments essential.
Their response? Allowing both Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz to depart as free agents Alonso joining the reigning champion Dodgers and Diaz heading to Baltimore. This seems baffling when you have an owner with Cohen’s resources. Why surrender your franchise cornerstone at first base and elite closer without a fight?
The Alonso decision is particularly perplexing. Reports indicated the Mets pursued Kyle Schwarber aggressively but couldn’t lure him from Philadelphia. After that fell through, they apparently didn’t extend any offer to Alonso. Despite his defensive limitations and occasional offensive struggles, finding another 40-homer bat on the open market is nearly impossible.
Some fans advocate for a complete teardown, but that’s unrealistic given the long-term commitments to Lindor and Soto. So what direction are they heading?
Free agent options are dwindling. Re-signing Starling Marte seems wise, and pursuing Alex Bregman or Kyle Tucker could help—though both would likely command premium prices. Still, what alternatives exist to compensate for these losses and restore playoff contention?
For pitching, bringing back Chris Bassitt could work, while Framber Valdez and Lucas Giolito represent the top available starters. Unfortunately, none of these moves would dramatically improve upon last season’s roster.
Allowing proven contributors to leave while remaining passive in free agency doesn’t make sense. Perhaps they’ll surprise everyone by landing Tarik Skubal, but without significant additions, this offseason risks being a major letdown for Cohen and the franchise.
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