MLB reporter says New York Mets 2023 spending spree could change baseball forever: "I wouldn't be surprised if they introduced a ceiling next time"

The New York Mets went into this offseason unsatisfied with their performance in the postseason after a 101-win season. They spent as if they weren't going to be able to spend any more money ever again.

Steve Cohen, the Mets owner, made a commitment to bringing in the best players and he effectively did that. Despite a couple of losses, they managed to bring back most stars and replace the ones that left with as good or better options.

It was a spending spree unlike anything seen in baseball before, and MLB reporter Jon Heyman thinks it could change the game forever.

Speaking with Chicago Cubs GM Jed Hoyer, Heyman said:

"I wouldn't be surprised if they introduced a ceiling next time, especially the way Steve Cohen is willing to spend. I think the solution is not to implore each individual team, but is to set some kind of floor... I know the union doesn't like it, but I want to see these small market teams spend more."

Despite there being no salary cap in baseball, many teams simply refuse to spend. The Mets, on the other hand, seem to be doing all the spending for them.

For reference, the Oakland Athletics' expected payroll for 2023 is $58 million. At the Mets, Max Scherzer alone will make $43.33 million in 2023.

The problem, according to Heyman, is not owners that are willing to spend with reckless abandon like Cohen. Rather, it's the owners who refuse to spend.

Every single team can afford to pay players like Trea Turner, Aaron Judge, Justin Verlander, and others. They simply choose not to. Some of those teams do it wisely, like the Tampa Bay Rays, who spend nothing and are still good.

Almost every other team that doesn't spend is bad and doesn't seem to care. Like Heyman intimated, that's probably not good for baseball.

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Do the New York Mets have the highest payroll in baseball now?

After an incredible offseason, the New York Mets have cemented themselves as real contenders. They have the highest payroll in baseball by a good margin.

The New York Mets have the highest payroll in baseball

In 2023, they're expected to pay $304 million. The New York Yankees are second with $267 million.