Now that he finally has a general manager, Mets owner Steve Cohen is ready to open his sizable checkbook again.
During Billy Eppler’s introductory news conference as the team’s new GM, Cohen said he’s prepared to open up his checkbook in an effort to meet his goal of winning the NL East.
“It’s going to require, probably, spending, and that’s what’s going to happen,’’ Cohen said during Friday’s Zoom call, alongside team president Sandy Alderson.
“I’ve let Billy know, for the right deals and the right free agents, to go get the players we need,’’ Cohen said. “We want to be competitive, we want to win our division and be in the playoffs and get deep into the playoffs. We’ve got to field a team that has the ability to do that. I’ve let Billy and Sandy know, it’s whatever they need and I’m open to their suggestions and recommendations.”
They have plenty of holes to fill, including manager and a coaching staff, as well as needs in the outfield and the starting rotation, especially in the wake of Noah Syndergaard’s departure for the Angels after rejecting the qualifying offer from the Mets.
“We definitely want to address the pitching,’’ Eppler said. “We had a player recently sign somewhere else in Noah. We just want to reinforce our overall depth.”
Cohen is on board.
“We need pitching and pitching is pretty expensive,’’ Cohen said on WFAN. “We’re going to have to open the pocketbook for the right players. There’s no number [in particular], but we’re going to have to spend this year.”
According to Cohen, the team’s payroll is already at $185 million, but it will go up.
By how much and how to spend it will define the rest of the Mets’ offseason.
“If we’re going to find the right type of talent, it’s going to be either trade or free agents,’’ Cohen said. “We don’t really have a lot in the farm system to supplement what we need.”
Because Cohen and the Mets are willing to throw some money around, Eppler should have plenty of options to choose from on the free-agent market to bolster a rotation that includes Jacob deGrom and not much else.
“Look at the free-agent list,’’ Eppler said on WFAN. “Trust that a lot of those agents are going to hear from me shortly.”
With Syndergaard going to the Angels for one year and $21 million, the Mets could turn to a number of other available free agents, from Max Scherzer to Kevin Gausman, as well as Marcus Stroman, who excelled in Queens last season.
They also could look to a reunion with Steven Matz or to bring in one of Matz’s teammates from Toronto last season, AL Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray.
Eppler said he won’t limit himself to just the pitching market, as there are also improvements to be made in both the infield and outfield.
Javier Baez is a free agent after playing well for the Mets following his trade from the Cubs.
“He did a phenomenal job for us,’’ Cohen said on WFAN, adding the two had dinner together after the season. “I really like Javy. He’s a terrific ballplayer, but I’m going to leave it to the baseball folks to make a recommendation.”
Eppler is getting off to a late start to the offseason, with his hiring becoming official only on Thursday night.
But he said he’s “hitting the ground running” and is confident he will put Cohen’s financial prowess to good use.
“In conversations with Steve and understanding what our resources are, we’ll be able to take a little bit bigger swings in free agency,’’ Eppler said. “I don’t think anything is ruled out right now. It provides a little bit more operational runway to look potentially at a different class of free agent.”