The one thing that no person likes is to be embarrassed in front of people, but for the Mets this season, it happened in front of the whole world. After building a big payroll team, Steve Cohen would have expected the team to step up and go deep in the postseason, but not making the postseason was not a good look. And after the news of them having incurred the most loss this season, most people would sit back and take some time to balance the books. But it looks like Cohen is not taking that approach.

In a recent piece by Bob Nightengale, he talked about which teams are going to be aggressive in the offseason, and one of the teams was the New York Mets. Nightingale wrote, “MLB has privately told owners that teams lost $1.8 billion last year, led by the New York Mets with about $350 million in losses… They embarrassed themselves by having the biggest payroll and failed to make the playoffs. And owner Steve Cohen hates to be embarrassed. They’ll come up with one, if not two, front-line starters.”

The New York Mets watched their 2025 season unravel, missing the playoffs despite a $342 million payroll commitment. Fans arrived at Citi Field hoping for postseason magic after signing Juan Soto to a $765 million, 15-year contract, yet the results disappointed. MLB reported the Mets endured $350 million in losses, marking the largest financial deficit in baseball that year.

Starting pitching emerged as the team’s most glaring weakness, undermining the lineup’s offensive potential throughout the season. Kodai Senga maintained a 3.02 ERA across 22 starts, but injuries and inconsistency left the rotation unstable. Frankie Montas added to the struggles with a 6.28 ERA in only seven starts before undergoing Tommy John surgery.

To prevent a repeat, the Mets plan aggressive offseason moves, pursuing top-tier arms like Framber Valdez and Freddy Peralta. Integrating these acquisitions with young pitchers like Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, and Sean Manaea will provide depth and stability. Strengthened pitching will give the team a critical boost, increasing their chances of turning financial investment into postseason success.

Steve Cohen’s determination suggests the Mets will spend boldly to erase last season’s embarrassment. With Valdez, Peralta, and the young arms, New York hopes that pitching finally justifies a massive payroll. If this strategy fails, fans might start wondering whether even $765 million Soto can save them.

The Mets could focus on pitching if they manage to keep Pete Alonso

If the New York Mets can somehow convince Pete Alonso to ditch first base without staging a public mutiny, they might just have a few fewer gray hairs heading into 2026. With the offseason whisper network buzzing about New York going all-in on starting pitching, having Alonso’s bat locked in means the front office can finally stop juggling lineups and focus on the arms that could actually carry them deep into October.

Pete Alonso is coming off his career-best offensive season with a .309 average and 46 home runs. Despite this, his defensive numbers took a big hit as they dropped to -9 Defensive Runs Saved. Re-signing him becomes complicated as the Mets prioritize improving infield defense while managing his contract expectations.

The one thing that will open the door is a positional change, but historically speaking, Pete Alonso has never been open to a positional change. But SNY insider Andy Martino reported that the Mets might re-sign Alonso if he moves to the DH spot. This shows that Alonso’s bat still has value, but his defensive numbers could be the thing that stops him from being a Met next season.

Keeping Pete Alonso would give the Mets clarity, letting them chase pitching without constant lineup headaches. Alonso’s bat remains a prized asset, but convincing him to DH might require creative negotiations. In New York, even a Polar Bear might have to trade first base for playoff dreams.