$teve Cohen Still Has Time To Rescue Mets
ALSO: CAN BIG-LEAGUERS GET OUT OF VENEZUELA?
Pregame Pepper
That five-year, $150 million deal delivered to Philadelphia’s Kyle Schwarber was the largest ever bestowed on a designated hitter . . .
Pittsburgh offered four years at $100 million — a record offer by the previously penny-pinching Pirates — but never had fighting chance . . .
Pete Alonso could be headed for a 50-homer season with Oriole Park — the second-easiest home run target in the majors — his new home . . .
The Dodgers were desperate to sign super closer Edwin Diaz (three years, $69 million) after Tanner Scott (four years, $72 million) led the majors with 10 blown saves last summer . . .
Because of the Diaz signing, Los Angeles will lose its second and fifth-highest picks in the 2026 amateur draft plus $1 million from the international bonus pool . . .
Team Israel hopes to enlist Jewish All-Stars Max Fried and Alex Bregman to its team before the World Baseball Classic begins in March. Having Yankees bench coach Brad Ausmus as its manager for the second time should help.
Leading Off
Panic to Perspective: The Case For Believing in Steve Cohen to Rescue the Floundering Mets
By Allen Settle
NFL legend and current Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers once famously calmed a panic-stricken fan base during a 1–2 start with a one-word, five-letter message: R-E-L-A-X.
Fans of the New York Mets find themselves in a similar, if not more intense, state of anxiety. An off-season that once promised hope has instead seen three franchise icons depart Flushing.
Supporters were already wrestling with the trade of fan-favorite Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers for aging (but Gold Glove–winning) second baseman Marcus Semien in the name of “run prevention.” Another second baseman signed today when switch-hitting Jorge Polaco left Seattle for a two-year, $40 million deal in New York.
But the back-to-back losses of pillars Edwin Díaz and Pete Alonso, who signed with the Dodgers and Orioles, respectively, have left many fans angry, frustrated, and hopeless.
Following the historic 2025 collapse (which kept New York out of the post-season), the Mets now appear poised to field a weaker roster (at least for the moment). Understandably, some fans are questioning whether the organization is punting on the 2026 season altogether.
While it’s normal for fans to feel the sting of losing three beloved players, it’s a reach to accuse Owner Steve Cohen and President David Stearns of sabotaging the franchise. Asked about the off-season turmoil, Cohen reiterated his commitment to winning, noting that “There is lots of off-season left.”
For reassurance, Mets fans need only look at Cohen’s track record. Every off-season under his ownership has featured major additions of future Hall of Famers, proven All-Stars, and playoff-tested veterans.
Let’s take a much-needed walk down memory lane.
2021: The Francisco Lindor Blockbuster
Cohen opened his Mets tenure with a statement move, trading for Cleveland’s superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor and immediately signing him to a 10-year, $341 million extension (a deal that solidified Lindor as the organization’s cornerstone).
2022: The Max Scherzer–Justin Verlander Tandem
New York made waves for the second straight off-season by replacing Jacob deGrom with future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer on a three-year, $130 million deal. Then, the team doubled down with another splash, adding Justin Verlander on a two-year, $86.7 million contract.
The Mets also brought in Starling Marte (four years, $78 million) and Chris Bassitt (via trade with Oakland).
2023: NLCS-Caliber Depth
Cohen’s “quietest” off-season still netted four key contributors to a surprise NLCS run.
Luis Severino (one year, $13 million) and Sean Manaea (two years, $28 million) stabilized the rotation.
Meanwhile, Harrison Bader (one year, $10.5 million) and Tyrone Taylor (acquired from Milwaukee) shored up the outfield.
2024: The Juan Soto Mega-Contract
The Cohen crescendo arrived with the signing of 26-year-old superstar Juan Soto to a jaw-dropping 15-year, $765 million deal, the largest contract in professional sports history.
And the 2026 off-season remains full of opportunity.
Free agents Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger, Framber Valdez, Alex Bregman, Ranger Suárez, Bo Bichette, Eugenio Suárez, Munetaka Murakami, Kazuma Okamoto, Tatsuya Imai, and Pete Fairbanks are all still available.
On the trade market, names such as Tarik Skubal, Freddy Peralta, Ketel Marte, Hunter Greene, Byron Buxton, Joe Ryan, Jarren Duran, and MacKenzie Gore have been circulated — among many others.
Adding just 2–3 players from that pool would immediately fill New York’s newly- created roster gaps and reshape expectations for 2026. Given Cohen’s history, that’s more than realistic.
Additionally, the Mets’ projected 2026 payroll currently sits just under $262 million. If Cohen maintains the club’s recent payroll levels of $320–$340 million, that leaves $70+ million still available to spend.
Combine that with Stearns overseeing the #1-ranked farm system in baseball, and the future of this off-season remains blindingly bright.
Yes, the losses hurt. Yes, the off-season has been discouraging. But let’s not declare the ship sunk in December.
If history is any indication, the smart money says Cohen and company will once again deliver a 2026 roster capable of competing and competing for years to come. Hard as it may be… R-E-L-A-X
Allen Settle is an MLB writer who has never given up on his passion for the beautiful game of baseball! He is an IBWAA member who has worked as a contributor for the Fansided network, covering both the New York Mets and the Miami Marlins. Currently, Allen covers baseball prospects at Prospects1500.com. You can connect with him on X at @AllenSettleMLB.
Cleaning Up
Are U.S. Ballplayers Trapped in Venezuela?
By Dan Schlossberg
The good news from Venezuela is that Ronald Acuña, Jr. is getting the reps he needs to regain his former MVP form.
The bad news is that political situation in that South American country has gone from bad to worse.
This week, we learned that the United States has gone from bombing small boats to seizing a giant oil tanker. Plus the U.S. has closed Venezuelan air space and threatened a land invasion — all with the goal of toppling Socialist president Nicholas Maduro.
Those rumblings, like the foreshocks of a volcanic eruption at Mt. Rainier, can’t be good for Acuña, Jr., his brother Luisangel, or other major-league players in the Venezuelan Winter League.
With spring training less than three months away, they have to be thinking about how or if they can get out, which means securing visas prior to flights.
And native Venezuelans must wonder whether they will be drafted to fight for their home country in the event of an invasion.
This is serious business.
Asked about the possibilities during the Baseball Winter Meetings in Orlando earlier this week, David O’Brien of The Athletic said of Acuña, “They wouldn’t have let him go if they didn’t think he could come back.”
But O’Brien, the former Braves beat writer from The Atlanta Journal Constitution, admitted that conditions have changed since Acuña headed to his home country.
The Venezuelan Winter League has eight teams that play 41-game schedules. It averages 4,514 fans per game but they are so vocal and so partisan that the crowd noise is almost deafening. Especially when Ronald Acuña bats.
Here’s the Pitch weekend editor Dan Schlossberg also covers baseball for forbes.com, Memories & Dreams, USA TODAY Sports Weekly, Sports Collectors Digest, and a myriad of other outlets. His 43 books include Hank Aaron biographies 50 years apart, collaborations with Ron Blomberg and Milo Hamilton, and Here’s the Pitch 2026. Dan’s email is ballauthor@gmail.com.
Timeless Trivia: Aftermath of Veterans’ Vote
In the wake of the Veterans Committee vote for the Hall of Fame, it’s worth noting that Dale Murphy and Don Mattingly have both been rejected four times . . .
Former union chief Marvin Miller was bypassed seven times before getting in . . .
Other than Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens (7 each), Murphy was the only man on the ballot with multiple major awards (2) . . .
Buster Posey, top candidate for first-ballot election in the Class of 2027, has only 1500 hits — half of the old number needed for a position player to be an automatic pick . . .
Posey’s 1500 hits would be the fewest by any inductee since Ralph Kiner in 1975 . . .
Now baseball operations chief for the San Francisco Giants, Posey attended the Orlando Winter Meetings press conference that introduced new Hall of Famer Jeff Kent . . .
When a media member asked Kent about his son, who plays in the Yankees farm system, the former infielder blurted, “He can’t be as good as me.”
Know Your Editors
Here’s the Pitch is published daily except Sundays and holidays. Benjamin Chase [gopherben@gmail.com] handles the Monday issue with Dan Freedman [dfreedman@lionsgate.com] editing Tuesday and Jeff Kallman [easyace1955@outlook.com] at the helm Wednesday and Thursday. Original editor Dan Schlossberg [ballauthor@gmail.com], does the weekend editions on Friday and Saturday. Former editor Elizabeth Muratore [nymfan97@gmail.com] is now co-director [with Benjamin Chase and Jonathan Becker] of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America, which publishes this newsletter and the annual ACTA book of the same name. Readers are encouraged to contribute comments, articles, and letters to the editor. HtP reserves the right to edit for brevity, clarity, and good taste.