The New York Mets, after several months of negotiations, rumors, broken deals, and a little controversy are finally ready to start a new chapter. Steve Cohen announced via Twitter that the sale of the team has been finalized.
“It’s official, we are closed.” Short, but concise. With that message, published on his Twitter account @stevenacohen2, the new owner of the New York Mets is now ready to take control of the team and start planning ahead to the 2021 season and beyond. He will have former Mets’ general manager Sandy Alderson as his president and right hand.
Cohen acquired the Mets from the Wilpon and Katz families for a little over $2.4 billion. He had previously tried to buy the club but had a deal fell through several months ago. He re-entered negotiations and had to outbid other groups and interested parties, including Alex Rodriguez and his fiancée Jennifer Lopez.
Cohen is reportedly acquiring 95 percent of the Mets. His wife Alex will have a minority share.
The Mets can go ahead and plan
Now, Cohen can go ahead and begin planning the roster for next season. The Mets have several areas to address, most notably pitching, if they want to return to the postseason and be relevant.
Behind Jacob deGrom, the starting pitching depth is lacking, as Marcus Stroman, Rick Porcello and Michael Wacha are all hitting free agency. The bullpen also needs to be addressed, and the team doesn’t have a starting catcher.
A news conference is expected within the next few days, although it will probably be next week. It is unclear if the Mets will retain general manager Brodie van Wagenen and skipper Luis Rojas.
There is enthusiasm within the Mets’ fanbase. A new era is about to begin, one that will have the richest owner in baseball, one that is also a lifelong fan of the team.