Mets' Payroll Under the Microscope Again as Luxury Tax Bill Hits $91.6 Million
The New York Mets found themselves back in the financial spotlight on Friday, as owner Steve Cohen addressed growing chatter around the team’s payroll strategy heading into 2026. With the offseason still unfolding, Cohen made it clear the Mets are staying flexible - ready to make moves not just now, but later in the year if the right opportunity arises, whether that’s a trade deadline splash or a strategic waiver claim.
But the timing of Cohen’s comments wasn’t random. On the same day, the league released the final luxury tax figures for the 2025 season - and the Mets’ number was eye-popping.
Mets Second Only to Dodgers in Luxury Tax Payments
New York shelled out a staggering $91.6 million in luxury tax penalties last season, trailing only the Los Angeles Dodgers, who topped the list at $169.4 million. In total, nine teams crossed the Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) threshold of $241 million, but the Mets were one of the few to blow past the highest tier.
The Mets’ total payroll for 2025? A massive $347 million, which pushed them well beyond the third CBT tier of $281 million - the point where penalties escalate steeply. That placed them in rare company with the Dodgers, Yankees, Phillies, and Blue Jays - teams that not only spend big but are willing to pay the price to chase contention.
2026 Outlook: Still Over the Line
Looking ahead, the Mets are already projected to exceed the new CBT threshold of $244 million by roughly $50 million. Even if they were to shed some notable contracts - think Jeff McNeil or Kodai Senga - they’d still be looking at another year of tax penalties.
That’s the cost of doing business when you’re trying to build a contender in one of baseball’s most demanding markets. But it’s also a reflection of how far the Mets are willing to go to stay competitive - and how much scrutiny comes with that approach.
Spending Big, Winning Small
Here’s where the frustration starts to make sense. Despite the Mets’ massive payroll and the luxury tax bill that came with it, the return on investment was underwhelming. The team finished just four wins ahead of the Miami Marlins, a club whose entire payroll was $87 million - less than what the Mets paid in penalties alone.
That stat alone is enough to make any owner bristle, especially one like Cohen, who’s never been shy about opening the checkbook. For context, the Chicago White Sox also came in at the bottom of the payroll rankings, spending $92 million - again, barely more than what the Mets were charged just for going over the line.
CBT Talks Looming
All of this comes against the backdrop of a looming expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement. The CBT is set to expire on December 1, 2026, and with it, the potential for another lockout. The disparities in team spending - and the penalties tied to them - are sure to be a central issue in negotiations.
For now, the Mets continue to operate in the upper stratosphere of MLB payrolls, and Cohen isn’t backing down. But the spotlight is going to stay hot - not just on how much the Mets are spending, but whether those dollars finally translate into wins.