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Key Takeaways From Steve Cohen’s First Spring Comments
Aug 14, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets owner Steve Cohen stands on the field before a ceremony to honor first baseman Pete Alonso (not pictured) for breaking the Mets all time home run record before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Key Takeaways From Steve Cohen’s First Spring Comments

Originally posted on New York Mets on SI
By Mike Phillips  |  Last updated Feb 16, 2026 11:00 AM ET

The New York Mets had a wild offseason with a lot of key roster changes as David Stearns re-shaped the club's core into one that looks quite different than the previous group. Four long-time Mets are out, and a new group of veterans is in to help Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto try to win a title in Queens.

One voice that hadn't been heard from much was owner Steve Cohen, who sent out a few tweets throughout the winter but largely sat back and let Stearns do his job to construct the team. Cohen, who did an interview with Howie Rose for the Mets' social media channels last week, met the media on Monday morning in Port St. Lucie with further thoughts on the state of his team.

The session saw Cohen share some of his candid thoughts about the state of the team, which is not surprising given his reputation for being open with the media since buying the team at the end of the 2020 season. It was clear from Cohen's commentary that he wants to win soon, telling the media that 40 years is far too long for Mets fans to wait to celebrate another championship.

The bar has been set for the Mets to reach the postseason, which Cohen feels is a good place to start for a team that has one of the highest payrolls in the league. The changes do appear to have improved the vibes around the team, which Cohen described as "a different energy" that "feels optimistic", which is a good sign after a brutal finish to the 2025 campaign.

Steve Cohen Weighs In On More Mets Topics

Another interesting tidbit to emerge from Cohen's media availability was his confidence in manager Carlos Mendoza, who survived the collapse but essentially overhauled his entire coaching staff this winter. Cohen expressed positivity about Mendoza, who he feels is a great communicator and motivator.

The media also asked Cohen about the Dodgers, specifically in regards to losing Kyle Tucker to them. Cohen did admit he went to bed annoyed after Tucker spurned them for the Dodgers but revealed that Bo Bichette's agent called him right afterwards to begin negotiations, setting up a pivot that may have been better for the team in the long run.

The other notable piece of information to come from Cohen's media availability is his statement that he will not name a team captain as long as he owns the team. There had been a lot of speculation over the last year that Lindor was essentially the captain in waiting, but Cohen explained that he feels it is up to the locker room on a yearly basis to determine who its leaders are.

This stance makes sense since naming a team captain would essentially see Cohen putting his thumb on the scale and shifting the vibe of the locker room by declaring who he feels is more important than everyone else. The captain's role is a symbolic one for the fanbase, but there are clear leaders in every locker room that don't need a C on their jersey to indicate their status within the group.

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This article first appeared on New York Mets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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