Steve Cohen Arrives in PSL

Mets owner Steve Cohen arrived in Port St. Lucie on Monday and spoke to reporters, giving his assessment on the upcoming season and making some headlines along the way.

“As long as I’m owning the team, there will never be a team captain,” Cohen told media members, “That was my decision.” Of course, this comes amidst rumors of locker room tension in years past as well as ongoing questions about clubhouse camaraderie.

“My view is the locker room is unique. Let the locker room sort it out year in and year out, Cohen said, “I felt that way all along.”

Cohen spoke mostly about the turbulent offseason his team just went through, saying goodbye to long-term Mets Brandon Nimmo, Pete Alonso, Edwin Díaz and Jeff McNeil. David Stearns made his pivot, acquiring Luis Robert Jr., Bo Bichette, Devin Williams and Marcus Semien to fill those roles.

“I feel like there’s a different energy here than last year. I don’t know what it is. It just feels really optimistic,” Cohen said.

When asked about the departed members of his roster, Cohen spoke fondly of them.

“These are players I sort of grew up in my ownership with and got to know personally, and so from a personal standpoint, it’s always tough to say goodbye,” Cohen said. “But you know, one door closes, another one opens. And so, I’m excited about the possibilities here.”

Mets fans had to be patient this winter, watching some of their favorite players leave without knowing what the next steps would be. Cohen said he was right there with them.

“I felt what the fans felt. And the worst part was these players left, and yet we hadn’t signed or figured out who was going to fill those positions,” Cohen said. “I was feeling anxiety, right? Like, how are we going to get there? But David (Stearns) kept cautioning me and telling me, ‘Stay patient … it’s a long offseason.'”

When asked what led to the Mets’ failures in 2025, Cohen mentioned the volatility of the sport.

“It didn’t help that we were 0-70 (when trailing heading into) the ninth inning, right? That’s a pretty remarkable statistic. Highly unlikely we’re ever going to see that happen again to this team,” Cohen said, “It’s the unpredictability of baseball.”

2026 marks Cohen’s sixth year of ownership, whose clock has run out on his initial desire to win a championship within three to five years. The richest owner in the game says that as time ticks on, his desire to be the last team standing grows.

“I mean, we haven’t won, and I really want to win … each year that goes by, I get more annoyed,” Cohen said. “I know how much the fans care. I know we’re celebrating the 40th anniversary of 1986, and that’s just too long.”

Standing in his way, of course, are the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers, who won on the field and for the services of outfielder Kyle Tucker this offseason. Cohen expressed his frustration at losing out on Tucker and tipped his cap to the dominant team in the game.

“They’re formidable, right? They have the ability to spend. So do I, by the way,” Cohen said.

The Mets and Dodgers are the leading spenders in the league, a league whose CBA is set to come to an end after this year. Much talk has been bandied about a potential salary cap. While Cohen said he may have to put the interest of the league ahead of his own when the time comes, he will focus more on the future when it’s time to do so.

“I don’t know how that’s going to go,” Cohen said about the league’s labor instability. “But I’m focused on ’26.”

Well, what constitutes a successful 2026 season for Cohen and the Mets?

“I think table stakes is making the playoffs,” Cohen said, “Got to make the playoffs.”

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