Steve Cohen addresses trade speculation surrounding Mets

Sep 11, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets majority owner Steve Cohen and his wife Alexandra Cohen at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets are already being viewed as one of the most intriguing teams ahead of the trade deadline. Speculation has grown that the Mets could move some big names, and even Pete Alonso has been talked about as a potential trade candidate.

Mets owner Steve Cohen tried to pump the brakes on that chatter Sunday, admitting that he found the amount of talk about the Mets’ deadline plans to be “amazing.” Cohen’s immediate focus, however, is on winning, as he noted that the team remains on the fringes of the NL Wild Card picture.

“What are we, [3 1/2] games out of the Wild Card?” Cohen said, via Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. “We shouldn’t be proud of that, right? We’re still [eight] games under [.500]. But it gives you the opportunity to make the season a success. And so that’s the way I’m looking at it.”

Cohen is correct that there is still a good amount of time to go before the July 30 trade deadline. However, the Mets will probably have to show some signs of life before them for the team to justify not selling. A 9-19 record in May really set them back and raised serious questions about whether the team has the capability of putting together anything close to a sustained run.

Cohen himself has gotten in trouble with trade deadline chatter already this season. He is not going to give anyone any new information right now with the team still at something of a crossroads.