Steve Cohen fails miserably at first big offseason test: Can the Mets recover?

Can the New York Mets recover after losing starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard to the Los Angeles Angels on a one-year deal?

Cohen and the Mets gave Syndergaard a qualifying offer of one year and $18 million, which was promptly rejected before Thor accepted a deal north of $20 million from the Angels.

Los Angeles is in need of veteran pitching behind Shohei Ohtani, who is set to win an MVP this offseason. Syndergaard is likely the first piece of the Angels’ offseason puzzle, and they were willing to spend heavily on him.

Cohen bought the Mets for $2.42 billion, so we know he has the money to pay Syndergaard as well. Instead, he allowed the Mets to take a hit to their pitching staff.

Mets: Was Noah Syndergaard worth $21 million?

Syndergaard had a 9.00 ERA in two games started in 2021 after he came back from Tommy John surgery, which also required him to miss the entire 2020 season. He’s far from a sure thing moving forward, and while he’s already cleared one major hurdle of TJ, that doesn’t mean he’s worth such a ludicrous asking price and a second-round pick, which the Angels will now have to supply the Mets.

Los Angeles is a prime destination, but they’re also a team desperate to contend. That’s why they’re willing to toss around such a lucrative contract, and why they might even be willing to do so again for Justin Verlander.

With Ohtani and Mike Trout in hand for the next few years, the Angels competitive window is wide open. This won’t be the last large move of the offseason for LA. Expect more momentarily.