Scherzer will join a franchise that was a frequent opponent of the Nationals in the N.L. East, has not reached the playoffs since 2016 and went 77-85 in 2021. Before Cohen bought the team a year ago, the Mets languished in spending and in the standings since reaching the 2015 World Series. Over the past year, the Mets have also endured a number of scandals, from sexual harassment investigations to allegations of poor workplace culture.
Intent on turning the Mets around, Cohen, the richest owner in baseball with a reported net worth of $14.6 billion, used his wallet to attract talented players. Since hiring Billy Eppler as the new general manager, the Mets have committed a combined $124.5 million to outfielder Starling Marte, outfielder/first baseman Mark Canha and infielder Eduardo Escobar.
Then on Monday, they lured Scherzer, pushing their estimated 2022 payroll to a franchise record $266 million, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts — the highest in baseball at the moment and far past the existing $210 million luxury tax threshold.