Mets owner rips 'payroll watchers' after Edwin Diaz, Pete Alonso leave

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The New York Mets are undergoing a total overhaul that has many fans upset.

Their first move of the offseason was to trade away their longest-tenured player, Brandon Nimmo, for Marcus Semien. Weeks later, both Edwin Diaz and Pete Alonso left in free agency, but they brought in former New York Yankees relievers Devin Williams and Luke Weaver.

With three fan-favorites gone, Mets fans have been up in arms about Steve Cohen, who purchased the team in 2020 and is, by far, the richest owner in baseball.

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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. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)

Well, after months of silence since the Mets officially completed a brutal collapse to miss the postseason, Cohen appeared to bite back at the fans in a series of X posts Friday.

"As typical, the usual idiots misinterpreting a [New York] Post article on Mets payroll for ‘ 26. I can’t imagine our payroll to be lower than last year. It’s always hard to predict but that would be my best guess," Cohen said.

He added, "Payroll watchers always forget to budget for waiver claims, player movement from minors to majors and trade deadline moves. That’s how it typically works."

Of course, Cohen is not wrong, as no one ever said fandom made sense. But it's certainly a choice of words after coming up short in the Diaz sweepstakes and not even making an offer to Alonso.

Baltimore Orioles owner David Rubenstein, president of baseball operations Mike Elias and agent Scott Boras introduce new first baseman Pete Alonso at a news conference at Camden Yards on Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, in Baltimore. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

WORLD SERIES CHAMPION CONFIDENT STEVE COHEN WILL DELIVER A METS CHAMPIONSHIP DESPITE LOSING STAR PLAYERS

Cohen's pockets won them the Juan Soto sweepstakes last year with a $765 million contract that will likely go north of $800 million when it's all said and done. But the taste in Queens is sour.

The Mets have improved the bullpen, but their starting rotation remains a large question mark. They also signed Jorge Polanco, who figures to DH, but speculation is he will play first base, a position he has never played at the MLB level. They also could use some outfield help, as Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger remain on the market.

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen speaks at a press conference prior to the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citi Field on June 28, 2023, in New York City. (Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images)

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The offseason has been rather slow, but whatever moves Cohen has made have not resulted in praise from Mets fans. In response, Cohen has picked a fight with them.

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