Steve Cohen, who will be the New York Mets‘ owner after acquiring the franchise from the Wilpon and Katz families for a sum over $2.4 billion, has cleared most of the hurdles that separate him from actually gaining control over the team.
However, the sale isn’t yet official. Some things need to be completed before he, and his right hand Sandy Alderson, can start planning the 2021 season with no restrictions.
Thankfully for New York Mets’ fans, the sale process is about to be finalized and the closing is expected to come either this week or early next week. SNY’s Andy Martino is reporting that it could be as soon as Friday.
Last week, MLB owners approved the Mets’ sale to Cohen. The new owner needed 23 out of 30 votes, and he got 26, more than enough to move on. Per reports, Jerry Reinsdorf of the Chicago White Sox, Arte Moreno of the Los Angeles Angels, Bob Castellini of the Cincinnati Reds, and Ken Kendrick of the Arizona Diamondbacks were the ones that opposed to Cohen taking the reigns.
What is next for the Mets?
When the closing occurs, ownership of the Mets will change hands and Alderson will become team president, as previously stated by Cohen.
Shortly after taking control of the Mets, Cohen and Alderson should decide who will be in charge of baseball operations. Brodie Van Wagenen is currently the general manager, but it is unclear if he is wanted back in Queens.
A news conference by Cohen and Alderson is expected early next week. After that, other tough decisions will come, most notably whether to retain or let go manager Luis Rojas.
The news conference will also provide more details about how the Mets will handle free agency. There are three top players that they could pursue: pitcher Trevor Bauer, catcher J.T. Realmuto, and center fielder George Springer.