New York Mets: Three moves Steve Cohen should make

Now that Steve Cohen is officially the new owner of the New York Mets, let’s look at some moves he should make.

In the end, the sale happened without issue. Despite the best efforts of White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, and the potential that New York City mayor Bill de Blasio could scuttle the deal, the New York Mets are now the property of billionaire Steve Cohen.

It is a new day for the Mets. For the first time in years, the fanbase is filled with optimism and hope for the future. Almost immediately, Cohen showed that the Mets would not go about business as usual, as he will be reinstating the pre-pandemic salaries of all of the team’s employees. The $7 million may not mean much to his bottom line, but it means a great deal to the team.

This move is just the beginning. Cohen, in just hours, showed more of a commitment to the franchise than the Wilpon’s had in years. Maybe now that they have an owner who is willing to go the extra mile, the Mets can finally shake off the years of mediocrity and finally live up to their potential.

But it will take more than just than a promise. Steve Cohen will need to have his actions speak for themselves. Let’s look at three moves the New York Mets should make.

Lock up the New York Mets core now

The New York Mets have a solid collection of young players. It is time to start locking them up for the long term.

Two key pieces of the roster are set to become free agents following the 2021 campaign. Both Michael Conforto and Noah Syndergaard have been integral to the Mets success over the years, but both come with question marks. Syndergaard has not been able to stay healthy, making his 2021 season crucial to his future. Conforto also had injury questions, but has been healthy over the past three years and has established himself as a dangerous power hitter.

The quest to extend their top talent should also go beyond those in arbitration. Pete Alonso is the future face of the franchise, and should be locked in as soon as possible. Pieces such as Dominic Smith and Jeff McNeil would also be worth an extension, especially as both players could be a bargain.

Obviously, this is a two way street. The Mets may want to extend all of those players, and others, but there has to be mutual interest. However, even if the Mets were to lock in a couple of those players, it would set a tone that Cohen is ready to spend to make the team successful on the diamond.

Sometimes the best thing a team can do is to take care of their own. The New York Mets should look to do exactly that.

Sign J.T. Realmuto as the New York Mets long term answer behind the plate

There is no question that J.T. Realmuto is the prize of the offseason. The New York Mets were already expected to be heavily involved in his market, but now it is imperative that they land the All Star catcher.

Realmuto would instantly upgrade the Mets lineup, adding an additional threat to the heart of the order. He has emerged as a star behind the plate, posting a .278/.328/.455 batting line with 95 homers and 156 doubles over his 2940 career plate appearances. He has been a two time All Star, and won the 2019 Gold Glove award.

Adding Realmuto would not only improve the Mets lineup, but it would also hurt their competition. He has spent the past two years with the Phillies, having been acquired from the Marlins for a package of prospects that included Sixto Sanchez. While the Phillies want to keep him, and had hoped to work out an extension, those hopes have essentially been dashed.

The opportunity is there. While other owners posted tremendous losses this season due to the pandemic, Cohen has just taken the franchise over. Those losses are not his concern. He can still go out and spend without worry.

Part of that spending spree should be to get the best players possible. Adding J.T. Realmuto to the New York Mets lineup would send a message that they are ready to be taken seriously once more.