Yankees Can't Help But Laugh at Steve Cohen's Latest Blunders

Remember back in December 2024 when the New York Yankees lost Juan Soto to the New York Mets? Yes, when Soto turned down a 16-year, $760 million contract from the Yankees to ink a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Yanks' crosstown rivals?

Sure you do. Some even felt it represented a changing of the guard. After all, how often do the Mets beat out the Yankees for a top free agent ... and when have the Mets ever stolen one from the Yankees?

The Bronx Bombers recovered by acquiring Cody Bellinger in a trade with the Chicago Cubs as well as signing Max Fried and Paul Goldschmidt. None of those names had the starpower of Soto, but for the price, they were definitely more practical.

The Yankees then watched as Soto scuffled through the entire first half of 2025 and then flip a switch down the stretch ... only to see the Mets win 83 games and miss the playoffs thanks to a horrendous second half.

Now, here we are in 2026, and the Amazins are 34-46. They have gone 72-101 since June 13 of last year. They have been an absolute train wreck, and the Yankees are surely snickering as Steve Cohen's squad implodes.

Yes, Cohen, the man hailed as the next George Steinbrenner who also seems to have an urge to sign every ex-Yankees player available. Soto. Clay Holmes. Devin Williams. Luke Weaver. At this point, it seems clearly intentional.

Even funnier is how poorly it has worked out.

Soto is still a monster, leading the National League with a .965 OPS. But you are paying one player close to a billion dollars to constantly lose. Williams is in his 2025 Bronx form, owning a 4.62 ERA and 1.579 WHIP. Holmes was actually good before landing on the 60-day injured list after getting hit by a line drive, and Weaver owns a 2.18 ERA.

Holmes was a clear trade candidate until the injury. Weaver will probably get dealt, but his two-year, $22 million contract could be a hurdle.

At this point, Soto has to be at least partially regretting his decision to take a few extra bucks just to play in Queens.

And then remember all of the Freddy Peralta-to-the-Yankees rumors we heard over the winter? Well, the Mets took care of that by trading substantial prospect capital for him. Peralta now owns a 4.83 ERA as an impending free agent.

Bo Bichette? Cohen is paying him $42 million this season to watch him post a .688 OPS. Oh, and Bichette is probably opting out of the three-year contract he signed with the Mets next winter. Why wouldn't he? Who would want to be part of that disaster?

Cohen bought the Mets in November 2020. Since then, they have gone 459-431 with just two playoff appearances to their name.

While the business mogul clearly wants to win, he seems more obsessed with getting the Yankees' goat rather than actually competing for championships.

That has to tickle Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman, both of whom are surely watching this dumpster fire with glee.

And to be quite frank, the Bronx Bombers dodged a bullet with Soto. He's a terrific player, but paying him $760 million would have severely handicapped the roster. Bellinger and Fried probably wouldn't be here, and good luck convincing Hal to spend money elsewhere with Soto on the books.

They also were smart to avoid Peralta, who really was a No. 2 — or perhaps even a high-end No. 3 — throughout the vast majority of his tenure with the Brewers rather than the ace the Mets were expecting.

The Yankees have certainly had their own share of frustrating moments in recent years, so this isn't so much of a clearance of Steinbrenner and Cashman as much as it is an indictment on Cohen.

Mets fans can blame general manager David Stearns as much as they want; this is the team Cohen built, and the best part is they actually thought it would be enough to dethrone the Yankees in New York.

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