The New York Mets‘ 2023 payroll will be the largest ever in MLB.
According to Spotrac, the number is already at $335 million, significantly higher than the second-placed New York Yankees and their $267 million unit.
In fact, the Mets are going to be paying more in luxury tax penalties than some teams are paying in payroll per se, which is both crazy and sad.
Non-Mets fans have criticized owner Steve Cohen and the team for their “reckless” spending, but the truth is the hedge fund billionaire hasn’t broken any rules.
In fact, he has been operating under MLB rules the whole time.
The league doesn’t have a hard cap, but somewhat limits how much teams spend by establishing several luxury tax thresholds with increasing penalties.
Cohen invests in his team, and pays all penalties.
In fact, he has a message for those making comments about his spending ways.
“Steve Cohen has some thoughts about what others are saying about him. @StevenACohen2 #LGM #DontMakeYourProblemMyProblem,” Metsmerized Online tweeted.
Steve Cohen has some thoughts about what others are saying about him. @StevenACohen2 #LGM #DontMakeYourProblemMyProblem pic.twitter.com/rnHPnfqWXX
— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) February 6, 2023
Cohen is 100 percent right: he can’t take responsibility for how other squads run their organizations.
He can mind his own business and he does just that.
His team handed out big, multi-year deals to Edwin Diaz, Brandon Nimmo, Justin Verlander, Kodai Senga, Jose Quintana, and other players this offseason alone.
Some teams may have complained, but the truth is that they can spend a lot of dollars on their teams, too.
They just don’t want to, because they would love to pocket most of the profit instead.
In reality, Cohen is better for baseball than owners who don’t want to invest in their team.
Don’t let anybody convince you otherwise.
NEXT: Carlos Beltran Has A New Role With The Mets
