If you were expecting Steve Cohen to come out swinging this offseason - tossing around $100 million contracts like T-shirts at a Citi Field giveaway - well, that’s not quite what’s happening. And after a winter that’s already seen Pete Alonso head to Baltimore, Edwin Díaz land in Los Angeles, and Brandon Nimmo shipped to Texas in the Marcus Semien deal, it’s fair for Mets fans to be staring at their phones wondering: So… when do we start replacing the stars?
But this isn’t Cohen going quiet because he’s lost interest. It’s Cohen putting his trust in David Stearns and finally letting the Mets operate like a team with a long-term vision - not one chasing headlines.
This winter feels oddly calm in Queens - and that might be by design.
Cohen has acknowledged the fan anxiety, telling reporters he understands the reaction and reminding everyone that “there is lots of offseason left to put a playoff team on the field.” That’s either a comforting message or the kind of line you drop when you know the next move won’t be flashy - and that’s okay.
In fact, this version of Cohen - the one not playing fantasy baseball with a billionaire’s bankroll - might be the best thing that’s happened to the Mets since he bought the team.
Stearns isn’t building for splash. He’s building for sustainability.
And yeah, that can feel frustrating when you’re watching stars walk out the door. But this isn’t about winning December.
It’s about building a team that can win in September… and beyond.
Enter: Munetaka Murakami.
The most intriguing development this week didn’t come from Cohen at all. It came from a report noting how quiet the market’s been around Murakami, with his posting window closing soon. One AL executive floated the idea of a shorter-term deal with opt-outs - a “prove-it” contract that lets Murakami hit the market again if he thrives early.
That kind of structure - short, flexible, calculated - fits exactly the kind of move Stearns is known for. It’s not about making noise.
It’s about making smart bets. And if the Mets are in on Murakami, it wouldn’t be shocking to see them approach it that way.
Now, is Murakami definitely heading to Queens? Not necessarily.
The market’s been strangely quiet, and the deadline is looming. But the idea of a short-term, high-upside deal fits the new Mets blueprint: take smart risks, avoid overcommitting, and build a roster that can compete without mortgaging the future.
Because Cohen’s role isn’t to play GM. It’s to be the financial backstop.
He’s the guy who signs off when Stearns says, “This is the move that helps us win long-term,” not “This will look good in the tabloids tomorrow.” And that shift - from splashy to strategic - might be the clearest sign yet that the Mets are turning a corner.
So yeah, this offseason might feel slower, quieter, maybe even underwhelming. But if Stearns is playing chess while everyone else is chasing dopamine hits, Mets fans might just end up loving the results - even if they hate the process right now.