New York Mets Owner Steve Cohen Sets High Expectations, Playoff in Sight Following Underwhelming 2023 Season

Steve Cohen, the New York Mets’ billionaire owner, is known for his win-at-all-costs mentality. After a profoundly disappointing 2023 season, the Mets aren’t just looking for incremental improvement—they want a true impact season.

“I think making the playoffs! You know, I think that would be… Obviously, last year was a real disappointment,” Cohen stated in an SNY interview when asked about his expectations for this season. His clear dissatisfaction fuels speculation about the team’s upcoming year.

“This year, I think we’ve built up sort of the floor of what’s possible,” Cohen says. Has the New York Mets’ management made changes substantial enough to transform the team, and can fans expect a playoff push?

To turn the page from the 2023 debacle, the Queens have made significant adjustments to their roster and coaching staff. Hitting coach Eric Chavez returned to his original role after a lackluster stint as bench coach, admitting responsibility for the team’s 2023 offensive woes. However, it wasn’t just coaching that was at fault for their last season’s performance. The Mets’ 2023 collapse was team-wide, resulting in a paltry 75 wins, a .238 batting average, a .723 OPS, and a dismal 26th-place ranking in the National League.

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The roster has also undergone an overhaul this year. The team focused on acquiring or extending veterans on short-term deals (think Luis Severino and Sean Manaea), hoping to extract a resurgence in form. They also bolstered the bullpen with acquisitions like Shintaro Fujinami, Jorge López, and Jake Diekman. Do these alterations represent the fundamental changes needed for a turnaround season?

Can the New York Mets find their rhythm in 2024?

The question on every Mets fan’s mind is whether these moves will translate into wins. The addition of veteran arms to the starting rotation and a revamped bullpen offer potential for improvement. Yet, relying on pitchers with inconsistent past performances creates uncertainty.

The Mets’ lineup remains largely unchanged, leaving a focus on Francisco Alvarez’s continued offensive development and the hope that a bounce-back year is on the cards for Starling Marte. Fans’ much-coveted Pete “Polar Bear” Alonso’s uncertain free agency lingers over the season and remains the biggest question mark about the team’s long-term future.

The 2023 Mets were riddled with inconsistency—moments of offensive brilliance followed by crushing collapses. CBS Sports’ analysis suggests that this year, the team’s offseason strategy is less about a radical transformation and more about finding the right combination of talent to achieve that elusive consistency.

It’s a calculated gamble—a belief that the right mix of veterans and young players can rekindle their 2022 spark. Can the 2024 New York Mets harness their potential and forge a winning formula? That question will be answered on the field.

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