When the Mets begin the 2025 regular season, old frustrations and past reputations should finally be brushed aside.
The franchise spent the offseason flexing its financial muscles like never before, signing superstar outfielder Juan Soto to a record-breaking contract that reaffirmed a commitment to being one of baseball’s top spenders — and contenders.
A healthy blend of talent and chemistry sparked a midseason turnaround for the Mets in 2024, as well as a deep postseason run that ended just two wins shy of a World Series appearance. Couple last season’s success stories with this winter’s roster improvements, and the result is heightened expectations for a championship-starved club.
This reality is what Mets owner Steve Cohen has always wanted, though.
The immense pressure fits their status, and their status around the league has officially changed for good.
“I love it. That means you’re onto something, you’re doing something well,” Cohen recently told Mets radio voice Howie Rose on the Meet at the Apple podcast. “Last year, we might’ve been a little bit of an underdog. Now all of the sudden, people are noticing, ‘Hey, this is a good team.’ And that’s the way I want it. We want to come into every season with high expectations.
“That’s sort of how I run my business. I have high expectations. I try to surround myself with the best people possible. We’re always in a constant state of improvement, regardless. Expectations and expectations, but we’ve got to go out and play. We really look good on paper, but guess what, we’ve got to play 162 games.”
Soto shared similar sentiments during his first media session of spring training on Sunday. While he expressed confidence in the team’s balanced lineup and excitement in the locker room culture being fostered, actions will always speak louder than words.
The 26-year-old, now receiving one of baseball’s highest salaries, stressed the importance of delivering on promises. He realizes projections on paper are merely that, and the prove-it nature to playing in New York with title hopes.
Francisco Lindor has also embraced this mindset, and the potential one-two punch of him and Soto atop the Mets’ lineup is what any owner should desire.
“I’m thrilled to death to have Juan Soto playing for the Mets for a very long time,” Cohen said. “I’m still not sure exactly what were the major drivers that made Juan decide to come to the Mets. I think the family thing definitely helped…. Francisco, I really enjoy him. I love the way he plays. I love the way he enjoys playing and the joy he shows going out there every day. He posts every day. He wants to play every game. We’re lucky to have him.”
The Mets’ first full-squad workout of spring camp in Port St. Lucie is already underway, and only five weeks separate the team from its highly-anticipated Opening Day series against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park.
