NY Mets rumors: MLB insider puts the pressure on Steve Cohen to get involved again

The New York Post’s Joel Sherman is usually one of the first to know what’s going to happen with Big Apple baseball. He didn’t break any new ground with his latest New York Mets rumors which put some mild pressure on Steve Cohen to get involved in the Pete Alonso negotiations again.

Sherman made valid points. Several examples of big time free agents leaving only for the team to do better or about the same a year later is a fine argument to have when it comes to parting ways with Alonso. Then again, Alonso isn’t in the same class as many of his examples either. Furthermore, how many others have left a team only to see them crumble a year later?

What’s important is Sherman, who is as in the know as anyone, truly seems to believe David Stearns has a preferred choice of not signing Alonso. It was believed Cohen was the one who ultimately reunited Alonso with the Mets last offseason. Once again, it sounds like our fearless leader may need to intervene again.

How involved will Steve Cohen get in this year’s Mets offseason?

It seems like Cohen always has some sort of involvement in the offseason actions, as he probably should. Juan Soto was impossible without him. The same could be true about signings of Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander in the past. Those were strictly financial moves as was the approval to trade the pair of future Hall of Famers in the middle of 2023 while eating a large part of their contracts.

It was at Amazin Day in late January when Alonso’s free agency had an added layer. Fans cheered at the mere mention of Alonso’s name. Cohen got brutally honest–his words–about the situation and his frustration with the negotiations. The thought was how if Alonso was going to end up back with the Mets, it would be because he was a “Cohen guy” more so than someone Stearns truly valued.

Stearns’ reputation as a value-seeker backfired plenty in 2025 with the decision to bring back Alonso being one of the small number of successes. He doesn’t operate entirely differently from other executives. He just does a little more of those head scratching moves. But when they work so well like they did in 2024, he buys himself extra time.

There’s no changing the way Stearns thinks. Fans are already anticipating projects this offseason with questions of whether or not he’ll fold on adding an ace, one thing he has yet to acquire while working with the Mets.

Cohen seems to have taken a step back from being the focal point of the Mets organization. From tweeting constantly in 2021 to occasionally popping into the spotlight these days, his involvement with player decisions was as relevant as ever last offseason because of the high-profile nature of Soto and retention of Alonso.

If Sherman’s conclusion comes true, those hopeful of Alonso staying will need to hope Cohen steps in again.