NY Mets Monday Morning GM: David Stearns, Steve Cohen can be Scott Boras Kryptonite

The New York Mets don’t appear any closer to signing Pete Alonso. If anything, the weekend’s drama at Amazin Day provided us with a reality check. Cohen’s public declaration of how frustrating the dealings have been with Scott Boras, while sprinkling in how tough it was to land Juan Soto, only made a divorce between the sides feel all too inevitable. Boras isn’t one to put his tail between his legs and yet it’s the only way he’ll reasonably get Alonso signed by the Mets and maybe even someone else.

Cohen’s massive wealth and willingness to do whatever it takes to make the Mets winners appeared to be a dream come true for Boras—at least in the beginning. Now a couple of winters deep and general managers later, the duo of Cohen and David Stearns feels much less like the partnership Boras seemed to have with Mike Rizzo of the Washington Nationals.

Stearns’ strategy in building a winning ball club plus the financial assistance of Cohen helped put the other in check. Stearns has the ability to sign franchise-altering players such as Soto. His presence also has the team drawing a line in the sand as to what Alonso’s worth is. Boras is known as a super agent. All things super have their Kryptonite. This is his.

The Mets spending in a fair and balanced way isn’t what Scott Boras was hoping for

Many Mets fans are frustrated Alonso hasn’t been re-signed yet. It’s understandable. He’s our guy and makes the club immensely better than the current pathway of giving the kids an extended leash to figure it all out.

Maybe to the surprise of Boras, the Mets’ backup plan to Alonso never seemed to include adding Alex Bregman instead. The idea of him coming to the Mets never seemed to be much of a thought for Stearns. Clearly, with Bregman not backing down on a long-term deal, he’s out of the mix for the Mets to swoop in late. His ongoing free agency discussion hasn’t been nearly as widely discussed. It’s at the point where a return to the Houston Astros with a major shuffle on the defensive alignment that would send Jose Altuve to left field is a strong possibility.

The Mets have done business with Boras plenty in the past. Having already signed Soto and Sean Manaea this offseason alone, it shows the two sides aren’t always far apart in negotiations.

Everyone has their limits. Cohen has been reluctant to massively overpay for all of the best talent. Stearns, who seems to enjoy the thrill of the hunt and building a team with brains rather than financial brawn, will have his own set of rules to work within while minding the owner’s restrictions. This isn’t a team Boras can always turn to when he needs a free agent signed. On the contrary, the Cohen-Stearns combination might just be his worst nightmare.

Even if Alonso does eventually sign elsewhere, there’s not going to be a moratorium on the two sides ever doing business together. They need each other. But as the Mets have shown, they’re not going to be a doormat.

The richest owner in the sport plus a President of Baseball Operations who refuses to bend the knee to the most well-known agent in the game is poisonous for Boras.