New York Mets

New York Mets owner Steven Cohen took aim at Icon Sports Management, the agents who represented starting pitcher Steven Matz in free agency.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Tuesday that Matz agreed to a four-year, $44 million contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. Cohen reacted to the deal on social media:

Jon Heyman of the MLB Network provided further details about the Mets owner's unhappiness:

After Cohen's tweet, Rob Martin, Matz's agent released a statement in response:

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic noted that Martin added he reached out to Cohen personally after the tweet.

Matz was a second-round pick of New York in the 2009 draft. He made his big league debut in 2015 and played his first six MLB seasons with the club before getting traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in January.

The 30-year-old left-hander put together a strong season for the Jays. He compiled a 3.82 ERA and 1.33 WHIP with 144 strikeouts in 150.2 innings across 29 starts. It marked his lowest ERA since 2016 (3.40) and represented a nice bounce back after posting a 9.68 ERA in nine appearances in 2020.

Since the Mets are projected to have a right-hand-heavy rotation next year—Jacob deGrom, Taijuan Walker, Carlos Carrasco and Tylor Megill—adding a lefty like Matz would have been ideal to provide a little bit of balance to the starting staff.

New York does have David Peterson as an internal option to fill that role, but he's coming off a 2021 season in which he finished with a 5.54 ERA in 15 starts.

So the Mets may want a more proven starter from the free-agent market as they look to rebound from a disappointing campaign.

Meanwhile, it's unclear whether Cohen's use of social media is helping or hurting his cause to build a championship contender in New York.

He hasn't been afraid to throw around criticism, even some directed at his own players, since buying the team last November:

The 65-year-old businessman providing his transparent view of the team may endear him to fans because of the honesty, but making those type of comments in public may not have the same effect on players and their agents.

Regardless, the Mets' search for a left-handed starter continues as Matz heads to St. Louis.

The New York Mets and Javier Baez have maintained an open dialogue about his potential return to the Big Apple.

SNY's Andy Martino reported Tuesday the Mets have "remain involved" in Baez's free agency and that his future could be resolved ahead of MLB's possible work stoppage on Dec. 2.

The arrival of Steven Cohen was supposed to signal a new dawn for the franchise. No longer would ownership act as if it doesn't operate out of one of the biggest media markets in the world. To that end, Francisco Lindor's 10-year, $341 million extension was a great first step.

However, the fanbase might already have to reset expectations.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported the Mets "are unlikely to add a free agent who rejected a qualifying offer from another club" because doing so would mean forfeiting the 14th overall pick in the 2022 MLB draft.

In August, MLB.com's Jim Callis, Sam Dykstra and Jonathan Mayo put New York 22nd in their ranking of the best farm systems. By holding onto the 14th pick, the front office can replenish its minor league talent pool.

You know what would be better than that? Winning a World Series in 2022 or 2023.

Refusing to sign Marcus Semien, Robbie Ray or Nick Castellanos because of the draft implications sends an odd message for a team in the Mets' position.

Re-signing Baez would help reverse that narrative a bit. The 28-year-old had nine home runs, 22 RBI and a .515 slugging percentage in 47 games with the team following his trade from the Chicago Cubs.

He provided the Mets with a compelling reason to bring him back, and the glut of proven shortstops (Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, Trevor Story and Marcus Semien) might mean he has to settle for a little less than he would've in a different offseason.

Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter projected him to get $72 million over three years, which is far from a king's ransom.

If Baez ultimately lands elsewhere, then fans might really begin questioning how much has changed in the transfer of power from the Wilpon family to Cohen.

Now that they finally have a general manager in Billy Eppler, the New York Mets might be building their offseason wish list.

SNY's Andy Martino reported the Mets "are actively seeking a minimum of two and as many as three free-agent starting pitchers." He added that team owner Steven Cohen is prepared to exceed the luxury tax in 2022.

Anthony DiComo of MLB.com listed Steven Matz as one target on the Mets' radar. Matz spent his first six years in MLB with the organization before getting traded to the Toronto Blue Jays.

While Noah Syndergaard threw two innings across 2020 and 2021, New York's decision to give him the $18.4 million qualifying offer seemed to indicate the team's willingness to have him back in 2022. Instead, Syndergaard took slightly more to sign with the Los Angeles Angels.

Marcus Stroman remains unsigned as well. Eppler said last Friday the team is looking to reach out to the 2019 All-Star's representatives:

For the most part, the top arms in the 2022 free-agent class are still available. Syndergaard, Eduardo Rodriguez and Justin Verlander are some of the notable exceptions. That leaves Max Scherzer, Kevin Gausman, Robbie Ray, Clayton Kershaw, Carlos Rodon, Steven Matz and Jon Gray among the best options on the table for the Mets.

The Mets haven't been a marquee free-agent destination in recent years, but that might have been down more to the frugality of the Wilpon family rather than a true reflection of the organization. Francisco Lindor's 10-year, $341 million extension is strong evidence of that.

If Cohen is truly willing to pay up, then anybody should theoretically be in the picture to serve as an ace alongside Jacob deGrom in the Big Apple.

The fanbase may not get its hopes up too much, though. Mets followers will still remember how a 2020 offseason headlined by Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, Zack Wheeler and Madison Bumgarner yielded Rick Porcello and Michael Wacha.

The onus is on Cohen and Eppler this winter. The former will be expected to make a continued investment in the roster, and the latter needs to show he can sell established stars on the Mets' direction.

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen isn't concerning himself with the luxury tax this offseason in his pursuit of making the Mets a playoff and World Series contender.

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, Cohen said Friday: "I'm willing, for the right deals and right free agents, to go get the players we need. We want to be competitive. We want to win our division and be in the playoffs and get deep into the playoffs. I've let [general manager] Billy [Eppler] and [team president] Sandy [Alderson] know: It's whatever they need."

The Mets are coming off a disappointing 2021 season in which they went 77-85, and they have not reached the postseason since 2016.

After Cohen officially became the Mets' new owner late last year, the organization went to work on the trade market and in free agency in an effort to compete for the National League East crown.

Most notably, the Mets acquired shortstop Francisco Lindor and pitcher Carlos Carrasco from Cleveland for infielders Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez, pitcher Josh Wolf and outfielder Isaiah Greene.

New York later signed Lindor to a 10-year, $341 million contract extension to ensure he would remain with the Mets for the long haul.

Other major moves made by the Mets prior to the 2021 season included signing catcher James McCann and starting pitcher Taijuan Walker.

Lindor was a disappointment in his first season in New York, hitting just .230 with 20 home runs and 63 RBI, while McCann hit .232 with 10 homers and 46 RBI, Walker finished with a 4.47 ERA after a hot start and Carrasco posted a 6.04 ERA in 12 starts.

The Mets already lost starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard to the Los Angeles Angels in free agency this offseason, and they could also stand to lose infielder Jonathan Villar, shortstop Javier Baez, outfielders Kevin Pillar and Michael Conforto, and pitcher Marcus Stroman, all of whom are free agents.

New York has been linked to some big names, however, as MLB Network's Jon Heyman reported that the Mets are interested in outfielder Starling Marte, and multiple reports suggested last season that the Mets wanted to acquire Kris Bryant from the Chicago Cubs before he was traded to the San Francisco Giants.

Bryant is now a free agent and he would give the Mets' lineup a much-needed boost if they can sign him.

The Mets find themselves in a tough position, as the NL East rival Atlanta Braves won the World Series last season, while the Philadelphia Phillies could also be tough to surpass with reigning NL MVP Bryce Harper leading the way.

When it comes to improving the roster, however, Cohen has made it clear that money won't prevent the Mets' front office from getting the job done.

Billy Eppler signed a four-year contract to become the new general manager of the New York Mets, the team announced Thursday. 

He will now report to team president Sandy Alderson, who rejoined the organization last season in an administrative position before taking on a more active role on the baseball side.

Alderson praised Eppler in a statement:

“Over the past two decades, Billy has been a scout and an assistant GM. He’s also more than familiar with the New York Market. This uniquely qualifies him to lead our efforts going forward. He’s smart, he hustles and has a keen eye for identifying talent. He’s going to make us better. I am really pleased that we have someone of his caliber leading the Mets.”

Eppler previously spent time with the New York Yankees organization from 2004 to 2015, serving as assistant general manager at the end of his run in the Bronx. He was hired as the general manager of the Los Angeles Angels in October 2015 and held that position until 2020.

Eppler joins a Mets front office that has been in a state of turmoil over the past year. Former general manager Jared Porter was fired in January 2021, one month after he was hired, for sending explicit text messages to a female reporter. Acting general manager Zack Scott was then placed on administrative leave following a DWI charge in September.

The latest hire allows Alderson to return to his initial role overseeing the organization. 

On the field, the Mets spent much of last year in first place before a late-season collapse led to a final record of 77-85. It marked their fifth straight year without a playoff appearance.

The team announced in October that manager Luis Rojas would not return after it declined his third-year option.

The Mets must not only hire their third manager since the start of the 2018 season, but they also have tough personnel decisions to make as Marcus Stroman, Michael Conforto and Javier Baez all explore the free-agent market.

It leaves Eppler with myriad decisions while trying to turn around an organization seeking its first championship since 1986.

Marcus Stroman doesn't appear likely to sign with the New York Yankees in free agency.

The pitcher showed his lack of interest in the team during an exchange on Twitter Tuesday:

"Yankees haven’t won a World Series since 2009," Stroman said. "They routinely spend more than any other team and acquire the biggest names at every trade deadline. The way the spend and players they get should result in much more success than they’ve had."

Then again, the real reason could be the Yankees' personal appearance policy:

Stroman is expected to be a hot commodity in free agency this offseason after producing a 3.02 ERA and 1.145 WHIP in 33 starts last season with the New York Mets. The Yankees are certainly among the teams that could be interested as they seek starter depth behind Gerrit Cole and Jordan Montgomery.

The 30-year-old also wouldn't be afraid of the New York spotlight after succeeding with the Mets and growing up on Long Island. 

It still seems like the Yankees will need to look elsewhere for a starting pitcher this offseason.

The Boston Red Sox are among the "many" suitors for free-agent infielder Javier Baez, according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman.

Between his time with the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets, Baez had 31 home runs, 87 RBI and a .265/.319/.494 slash line in 2021.

Shortstop (486 games) has been the 28-year-old's most frequent position in MLB, per Baseball Reference. But he has logged 320 games at second base and spent the majority of his time with New York there because of Francisco Lindor's presence.

Xander Bogaerts isn't going anywhere for now—he has an opt-out after this season—so he'll be Boston's everyday shortstop in 2022. The Red Sox are presumably looking at Baez to replace Christian Arroyo at second base, and he could serve as cover if Bogaerts bolts next winter.

Beyond what he'd bring on the field, his arrival would signal a slight shift in ownership's recent attitude toward the payroll.

Per Cot's Baseball Contracts, Boston had the highest Opening Day payroll in 2019 ($236.2 million). Then came the belt-tightening best symbolized by Mookie Betts' trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers. When the 2021 campaign opened, the Sox had the eighth-highest payroll ($180.1 million).

Watching Eduardo Rodriguez sign with the Detroit Tigers wasn't a great way for the Red Sox to kick off the offseason. According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the southpaw will get $77 million over five years, which wasn't a significantly higher sum than one would've expected.

That arguably raises questions over Boston's continued interest in Baez if a bidding war begins and his price tag begins climbing toward or north of $100 million.

Now that the New York Mets are on the verge of hiring a general manager, their next order of business will be to find a new manager. 

Per SNY.tv's Andy Martino, Brad Ausmus, Joe Espada and Eric Chavez are being linked to the job due to their connection with Billy Eppler. 

On Monday, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Eppler is finalizing a deal to become the Mets general manager. 

New York's managerial job came open Oct. 4 when the team announced it wasn't exercising Luis Rojas' option for 2022. 

Rojas went 103-119 in his two seasons with the Mets.

Ausmus has the most recent working partnership with Eppler. The former All-Star catcher managed the Los Angeles Angels in 2019 when Eppler was their general manager. He was fired after one season with a 72-90 record because team owner Arte Moreno was pushing for Joe Maddon, who just finished a five-year run with the Chicago Cubs.

Chavez was hired as a special assistant by the New York Yankees in 2015 when Eppler was with the team as the assistant general manager under Brian Cashman. The six-time Gold Glove-winner moved to the Angels after the 2015 season when Eppler was hired as GM. 

Espada's first season as third base coach with the Yankees was in 2015. He spent three seasons with the organization. The 46-year-old just finished his fourth season as a bench coach for the Houston Astros. 

The Cubs interviewed Espada in October 2019 about their managerial vacancy. David Kaplan of NBC Sports Chicago reported Cubs officials came away very impressed by Espada, but they ultimately hired David Ross. 

The Mets are trying to end their recent string of disappointing seasons. They haven't made the playoffs since losing the NL Wild Card Game to the San Francisco Giants in 2016.    

The Los Angeles Angels and free-agent pitcher Noah Syndergaard have reportedly agreed to a one-year, $21 million contract, ESPN's Jeff Passan reports.

MLB Network's Jon Morosi first reported the two sides were working on a deal.

The Angels entered this offseason badly needing to address their rotation. Shohei Ohtani was the only pitcher on their staff to throw at least 100 innings in 2021 (130.1).

Andrew Heaney, who finished third on the Angels with 94 innings pitched, left as a free agent to sign a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Alex Cobb (93.1 innings) is also a free agent. 

Los Angeles' starting staff hasn't ranked higher than 22nd in innings pitched since 2015. It hasn't finished higher than 20th in ERA since 2018. 

Syndergaard is a high-risk, high-reward gamble for the Angels. The 29-year-old only pitched two innings out of the bullpen for the Mets at the end of last season. He underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2020. 

The Angels should be doing everything they can to make the playoffs. Ohtani and Mike Trout are two generational talents, but the franchise has been unable to surround them with enough help to be a postseason threat. 

During his last healthy season in 2019, Syndergaard posted the worst ERA of his career (4.28). His peripheral stats were better than that, with a 3.60 fielding independent pitching and 4.3 wins above replacement, per FanGraphs.

If Syndergaard pitches next season at that level, he will be a perfectly viable No. 2 starter behind Ohtani for Los Angeles.    

Billy Eppler is finalizing a contract to become the next general manager of the New York Mets, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

That news comes after Andy Martino of SNY reported Eppler was expected to fill the vacancy.

Ken Rosenthal reported earlier Monday that the Mets had offered Eppler the job, and Joel Sherman of the New York Post added the two sides were discussing contract details. Per Martino, contract talks had reached a point where an agreement was viewed as "likely."

Martino previously reported the Mets had yet to confirm any progress in their GM search:

Eppler served as the Los Angeles Angels' GM from 2015 until his firing in September 2020. Prior to that, he worked his way up the New York Yankees organization to become their assistant GM.

The Mets have drawn negative headlines as they pursue candidates.

While not as successful as its neighbor in the Big Apple, the franchise plays in one of the biggest markets in the world, which generally provides a benefit when attempting to land marquee stars.

Owner Steve Cohen also appears to be willing to spend. The Mets gave Francisco Lindor a 10-year, $341 million extension, and they had the third-biggest Opening Day payroll, per Cot's Baseball Contracts.

That's what made this comment Nov. 9 from team president Sandy Alderson somewhat puzzling: "I think it's mostly about New York, and not about, you know, Steve or the organization or what have you. It's a big stage and some people would just prefer to be elsewhere."

One could argue it's a troubling sign that Alderson had to deny the Mets' struggles to hire a GM are related to Cohen, given the perception that's growing around the team owner.

Hiring Eppler may work out, but his arrival would likely leave some fans underwhelmed.

The 46-year-old helped the Angels land Shohei Ohtani, and he was in charge when L.A. got Mike Trout to pledge his future to the franchise with a record-setting 12-year, $426.5 million extension. Eppler also did his best to overhaul a minor league system that was routinely in the bottom half of the league.

Having said that, the Angels failed to post a winning record in any of his five years as GM. Beyond signing Ohtani, there isn't much Eppler can point to in terms of personnel masterstrokes either.

If this is how the Mets' prolonged GM search ends, then their new-look front office will face skepticism right out of the gate.