Steve Cohen: Mets’ pitching ‘will surprise people’

Mets owner Steve Cohen explained why he feels their roster construction positions them well for another deep run in 2025.

Sep 6, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets owner Steve Cohen watches the game against the Cincinnati Reds from his front row seat during the tenth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Entering his fifth season as owner of the New York Mets, Steve Cohen is confident in the roster his organization has built but has also learned valuable lessons from years past.

Speaking to the media in Port St. Lucie on Tuesday, Cohen reflected on the 2023 team, which he felt optimistic about until injuries and other factors took their toll. In contrast, the 2024 team serves as a prime example of a roster that far exceeded expectations.

“You can write it down on paper, but there are no guarantees,” Cohen said. “I always say you gotta play the games.”

Why the Mets are emphasizing roster depth

After reaching the NLCS in 2024, the Mets not only bolstered their roster with more star power but also seemed to apply lessons from recent years, preparing for the unpredictability that comes with a 162-game season.

For instance, few could have guessed that a journeyman utility infielder Jose Iglesias—signed to a minor league deal at age 34—would become one of the keys to a historic turnaround. Similarly, less than 10 days into last season, the Mets had to sign veteran Julio Teherán to make an emergency start, lacking the depth to absorb a wave of early-season injuries.

This winter, the Mets focused on adding depth, acquiring more major-league-caliber starting pitchers, several cost-effective bullpen arms, and taking low-risk fliers on position players with proven success in the big leagues, such as Nick Madrigal and Joey Meneses. Given these moves, Cohen believes the team is in solid shape to weather the inevitable ups and downs of the season.

“On paper, we look like a really strong team with a lot of depth. I think to get through spring training, 162 games, and the playoffs, we’re gonna need that depth,” Cohen said. “I think it’s a team that’s gonna produce runs. I think our pitching’s gonna surprise some people, and I know there’s a lot of talk about starting pitching.”

"I think it's a team that is gonna produce runs. I think our pitching's gonna surprise people."

Steve Cohen talks about the 2025 Mets: pic.twitter.com/ag2iWsC3wS

— SNY (@SNYtv) February 18, 2025

The Mets entered camp with seven major-league starting pitchers competing for five or six rotation spots, likely depending on the health of Kodai Senga. While their depth is a significant strength, some have questioned the lack of “firepower” at the top of the rotation.

Senga looked like an ace during his rookie season, posting a 2.98 ERA and totaling 202 strikeouts in 166.1 innings, but he struggled to stay healthy in 2024. Sean Manaea, who revamped his velocity, altered his pitching repertoire, and even changed his arm angle last season, emerged as the team's de facto ace in 2024. However, he still profiles as a No. 2 starter, barring another breakout season in his age-33 campaign.

David Peterson, Frankie Montas, converted closer Clay Holmes, Tylor Megill, and Griffin Canning are expected to slot into middle-to-back-end roles in the rotation. That number of starters was set to grow to eight once Paul Blackburn, recovering from offseason back surgery, returns to the mound. But with Montas now sidelined for 6 to 8 weeks due to a high-grade right lat strain, that depth is already being tested.

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On the other side, New York’s lineup features unquestioned star power, with Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Pete Alonso, Mark Vientos, and Brandon Nimmo anchoring the batting order. Not only is their lineup deep from 1 through 9, but they also boast solid bench pieces and organizational depth.

Starling Marte and Jesse Winker offer versatile, quality bats in part-time roles, while Jose Siri and Tyrone Taylor bring elite defensive abilities to the outfield and can step in when needed. Infielders Brett Baty and Ronny Mauricio are other intriguing bench options, capable of stepping into more prominent roles in the event of injuries or underperformance from those ahead of them.

Cohen emphasized that the Mets' roster construction offers significant flexibility. He believes that if the team needs to make moves during the season, they have already demonstrated their ability to do so in 2024—and will do it again in 2025.

Whether that means promoting top prospect Brandon Sproat to reinforce the rotation, No. 2 prospect Jett Williams to address the infield or outfield, or bringing up other veterans from Triple-A, the Mets have internal options. Their deep prospect pool, surplus of starting pitching, and bench depth also provide them with the assets to make trades, as Cohen alluded to.