6 Key Takeaways From Steve Cohen's Podcast Appearance Discussing the Mets

Steve Cohen gave a lengthy interview on The New York Post's "The Show" podcast to discuss the state of the Mets. Here's what you need to know about how Cohen views the Mets.

Apr 22, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets owner Steve Cohen stands on the field during batting practice before a game against the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Mets' season fell apart again, leading to drastic consequences for the organization. Carlos Mendoza is out, but David Stearns is sticking around, and we learned directly from owner Steve Cohen on Wednesday that he will have the remainder of his five-year contract to fix the Mets' mess.

Mets Owner Steve Cohen addresses David Stearns Job status on The Show with @Joelsherman1 & @JonHeyman

Full Podcast comes out later today. pic.twitter.com/3K3KcmNOf2

— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) July 1, 2026

Cohen recently indicated that he planned to speak out about the Mets' situation, using this forum to air his thoughts to the fan base through a nearly 45-minute interview with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman. Cohen had a lot to say in the full episode of The Show, which you can listen to here, and we listened to the conversation to cover the key takeaways from the Mets' owner.

6 key takeaways from Steve Cohen's interview on The Show

Why David Stearns is sticking around

New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns speaks during a press conference before a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field. The club earlier today parted ways with manager Carlos Mendoza (not pictured). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

We covered this in detail after the episode dropped on Wednesday, but the gist is that Cohen feels like Stearns is capable of turning the Mets around. Cohen made a big point about how Stearns' role in helping the Mets get within two wins of a pennant in 2024 shouldn't be discounted, giving him one very good year to counter two bad ones.

The other big point regarding Stearns was Cohen's concern about creating a chilling effect on the job, creating a "churn and burn" that would dissuade talented people from pursuing the job the next time it becomes available. Mets fans may not be happy with that point, but Cohen isn't wrong there.

The farm system is in a bit of trouble

New York Mets right fielder Carson Benge (3) reacts after striking out against the Philadelphia Phillies during the third inning at Citi Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One of the big alarm bells on social media regarded the farm system, which Cohen admitted he was concerned about in the interview. Cohen noted that some of the top prospects in the system have had down years, indicating that development isn't always linear, which is a bit of a concern when they are trying to get players to fill holes internally.

The context of the quote is that Cohen also pointed out that the Mets have graduated a few key players into their core, including Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, Nolan McLean, and Christian Scott. The top three were all top-100 prospects before the season began, showcasing how a farm system's viability can be multi-faceted.

The Mets won't lobby against a salary cap

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen stands on the field before a ceremony to honor first baseman Pete Alonso (not pictured) for breaking the Mets' all-time home run record before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When asked directly about a potential salary cap coming to baseball, Cohen essentially deferred to the labor committee, indicating he was a team player and would work within whatever system the owners and players agree on. Cohen also indicated that he expects whatever changes occur won't go into effect until after the 2027 season, so he is operating under the assumption he will continue to pour a ton of money into the Mets.

Finding a new manager won't be an issue

New York Mets interim manager Andy Green (70) speaks to the media before a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Cohen confirmed that Andy Green isn't interested in the full-time job and also indicated he isn't concerned about finding a successor for Mendoza. The Mets' owner was very confident that several intriguing candidates will want to interview for the vacancy, with Cohen planning to do a full search once the regular season concludes.

Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor are getting along better now

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) celebrates with right fielder Juan Soto (22) after hitting a solo home run during the eighth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This was the other hot topic to come out of the interview, as Cohen essentially confirmed Soto and Lindor had a frosty relationship a year ago. Cohen was quick to point out that the dynamics between the two have improved significantly, and he believes they can be foundational pieces for the franchise going forward.

David Stearns should be more flexible on his free agent philosophy

David Stearns, Mets President of Baseball Operations, watches pitchers warm-up during spring training. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The last key takeaway came from an interesting question from Sherman, who essentially asked Cohen whether he thought Stearns' preference not to give long-term deals to pitchers was the right one. Cohen made an interesting point, noting that if the Mets are comfortable giving any player a certain number of years and the other 29 teams are willing to do more, it will be harder for the Mets to get that player.

The follow-up to that analogy saw Cohen indicate he wanted to have more conversations about having flexibility in situations like that. Settling for less-talented players while weighing concerns about committing too many years has led to a lot of wasted payroll space for the Mets, so perhaps more targeted strikes for elite players can avoid these issues from happening in the future.