MLB Free Agency Waits as Steve Cohen's Mets Figure Out Their Future

Fans are eager to meet the new Mets, Steve Cohen's New York Mets. The Mets that aren't afraid to spend money in free agency and make bold moves. The Mets that are better known for baseball than baseball-related disasters. 

But there's one problem: The new Mets have yet to materialize.     

They have been linked to most of the top free agents through rumors and reports all week, but the virtual winter meetings came and went without any big free-agent signings or trades. Numerous reports have them eyeing outfielder George Springer, and the club has been linked to catcher James McCann for a week. Rachel Luba, Trevor Bauer's agent, told Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News that the 2020 NL Cy Young Award winner likes the idea of going to the Mets. 

Aaron Doster/Associated Press

Yet, so far there have been only two Mets signings: Former Minnesota Twins reliever Trevor May and minor league journeyman reliever Sam McWilliams. 

The hot stove season hasn't been what it was over the past three winters. Typically, the biggest free agents set the market, but in recent years, some of the biggest names haven't signed with new teams until a few months into the season. Dallas Keuchel became a free agent on November 12, 2018, but didn't sign with the Atlanta Braves until June 7, 2019.

Things felt a lot more normal last year when the New York Yankees signed the premiere pitcher on the market, Gerrit Cole, to a megadeal worth $324 million. But nothing is normal in 2020. 

What's really holding up the market is the uncertainty of the 2021 season, front-office sources told B/R. The league has yet to set a start date. It's unclear when or if fans will be allowed to attend games in 2021, which makes it difficult for cash-strapped teams to project their revenue for next season and beyond. The revenue decisions don't even begin to take into account the whole DH debacle. 

Even with a vaccine expected soon, the country has been hit hard by another wave of coronavirus cases, and as many of our lives remain on hold, major roster and payroll decisions do as well. 

However, the Mets have the power to light that stove. Cohen is not facing the same financial issues as other owners since he didn't own the team last season. He lost nothing. The sale of the Mets officially closed Nov. 6, with Cohen taking over control from the Wilpon and Katz families. A lifelong Mets fan, the billionaire hedge fund manager isn't afraid to infuse some cash into the club in order to turn it into a contender. 

By that logic, Cohen and the Mets might be holding all of their cards in their hands. 

Without a general manager, former GM and current team president Sandy Alderson is leading the baseball operations department, and according to SNY's Steve Gelbs, the Mets are talking with "everybody." Now that Alderson finally has some money to work with, it looks as though a plan is taking shape: Sign McCann—a good-hitting catcher—to a moderate, multiyear deal, reshape the bullpen and then go after Springer or Bauer, which would then set the market for the rest of the top free agents. 

Ashley Landis/Associated Press

The Mets seem destined for one of the two, though which one is unclear. Bob Klapisch of NJ.com said Alderson and Cohen seem to be split on which of those players to pursue. 

The Mets need starting pitching help with Steven Matz coming off a dismal season and Noah Syndergaard possibly set to miss part of next season while he recovers from Tommy John surgery. Throwing Bauer into the mix with Jacob deGrom—the pitcher who won the last two before he did—as well as Marcus Stroman, Seth Lugo and David Peterson would give the Mets quite a formidable rotation. 

Springer would bring a big bat with a long track record of postseason success to an already formidable lineup, plus he would improve their outfield defense. Their need for starting pitching may be greater than their need for another outfielder, but there isn't a wrong move here. 

The only wrong move would be not making one at all. Mets fans are desperate to put the disastrous Wilpon years behind them. The Mets were amazin' for all the wrong reasons; now they're arguably the most interesting team in baseball for the right ones. 

And if the Mets, one of few teams actively trying to spend money, wait out the market, then baseball could be facing an even longer, even colder winter than it already is.

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