New York Mets owner Steve Cohen took to social media to apologize to the fans after his club’s spectacular summer collapse that saw them plummet from the best squad in baseball to one that did not even make the postseason.
“Mets fans everywhere, I owe you an apology,” Cohen wrote on X. “You did your part by showing up and supporting the team. We didn’t do our part. We will do a post-mortem and figure out the obvious and less obvious reasons why the team didn’t perform up to your and my expectations.
“We are all feeling raw emotions today. I know how much time and effort you have put into this team. The result was unacceptable. Your emotions tell me how much you care and continues to motivate the organization to do better. Thank you to the best fans in sports.”
Cohen went big-game hunting last season, and after securing the signature of Juan Soto for $765 million over 15 years, the Mets were entering a phase in which they were supposed to be perennial World Series contenders.
But president of baseball operations David Stearns failed to properly address both the starting rotation and bullpen, and their repeated failures beginning in mid-June ultimately derailed Cohen’s club. After winning 45 of their first 69 games, the Mets ended the season by going 38-55 — a 4-0 loss to the Miami Marlins on the final day of the regular season eliminated them from postseason contention and allowed the Cincinnati Reds to back their way into October baseball.
Stearns said during his media availability on Monday that the offseason focus will come down to “run prevention,” suggesting that pitching and defense will be atop his list of priorities. But slugging first baseman Pete Alonso has already revealed that he is going to opt out of his contract and hit free agency for a second-straight winter, while closer Edwin Diaz is expected to do the same.
Regardless, extensive changes are likely to come to the roster, and potentially the coaching staff, outside of manager Carlos Mendoza, whose job has already been deemed safe by Stearns.
