Report: Jeff Wilpon 'Hates' Steve Cohen, Wants Alex Rodriguez Group to Buy Mets

New York Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon is reportedly allowing his personal feelings to influence the process of selling the National League East team.

"Jeff Wilpon hates Steve Cohen," a source close to the sale told Thornton McEnery of the New York Post. "He wants A-Rod to come away with the team or make Cohen pay double the nearest offer. This has been a squeeze job for weeks now." 

McEnery explained Cohen is worth approximately $14 billion and can offer the most money for the team. However, there are competing suitors, including a group that includes 14-time All-Star Alex Rodriguez.

There was a time when it appeared Cohen was surely going to buy the Mets, but MeEnery noted his $2.6 billion offer "fell apart in February due to disagreements with the Wilpon family over control of the franchise."

Still, he has been one of the suitors to purchase the team since July.

On Wednesday, McEnery and Josh Kosman reported two women who used to work for Cohen's firm, Point72 Asset Management, filed complaints with Connecticut's Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities.

"This is f--king huge," a source said of the impact of the complaints on the potential sale. "All the owners need is another excuse" to not sell to Cohen.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported Sunday that a number of executives around the league believe the group that includes Rodriguez and his fiancee Jennifer Lopez is the "clear-cut favorite" to land the Mets.

That is apparently exactly what Wilpon wants.