The New York Mets don’t need a captain. That’s according to owner Steven Cohen, at least.
With the objective of protecting organic leadership, the boss shut down the captaincy conversation entirely on Monday, telling reporters in Port St. Lucie that as long as he owns the Mets, there won’t be a captain.
No “C” on the jersey. No ceremonial appointment. No press conference where the world pretends a letter changes anything about how a locker room actually functions.
“Having a captain in baseball doesn’t happen often – it’s actually unusual. Whatever previous ownership did, that was their way of doing things. I look at things differently,” Cohen said, per Mike Puma of the New York Post.
The Lindor Candidacy Was Always About Optics, Not Impact
Francisco Lindor has been the Mets’ unquestioned leader since arriving from Cleveland in 2021. He doesn’t need a letter on his chest to validate that, according to Cohen’s way of thinking. The clubhouse already knows who sets the tone. The front office knows who they lean on when things go sideways. And most importantly, Lindor himself knows his role.
“The captain thing is not up for me to decide. If it does happen, it would be fantastic, an honor and a privilege,” Lindor said a year ago, per SNY. “Something I would never take for granted.”
He was evidently open to the role, but that’s all a moot point now.
Cohen’s Philosophy Protects Meritocracy in the Clubhouse
“My view is, the locker room is unique and let the locker room sort it out year-in, year-out,” Cohen explained, per SNY.
Cohen is essentially saying: I’m not picking your leader for you. Earn it. Prove it. Let the dynamics shift as the roster evolves.
Think about what happens when you anoint someone captain. You’ve now created a power structure that exists independently of performance. What happens when that captain slumps for two months? What happens when a rookie comes up and instantly commands more respect than the guy with the “C”? You’ve created a tension that doesn’t need to exist.
The Mets’ locker room already has its leaders. These aren’t roles that needed Cohen’s blessing—they emerged organically based on performance, personality, and respect. That’s how it’s supposed to work.
Baseball Isn’t Hockey—And That’s a Good Thing
Let’s be honest about what captaincy means in baseball versus other sports. In hockey, the captain is a liaison with officials during play. In soccer, they’re making tactical decisions on the pitch. In baseball? It’s almost entirely symbolic.
The captain doesn’t change pitchers. Doesn’t set the lineup. Doesn’t call defensive shifts. The manager handles all of that.
Lindor already does those things. So does every other leader in that clubhouse. Formalizing it doesn’t make it more effective—it just makes it more rigid.
Cohen is building a modern, analytics-driven organization that adapts to roster changes, market inefficiencies, and evolving competitive landscapes. Locking in a fixed leadership structure runs counter to that entire philosophy.
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