Steve Cohen is spending money. The Mets will be hit with the second-highest luxury tax bill in baseball in 2025 after the world champion Los Angeles Dodgers, according to figures finalized Friday by MLB and the players’ union that were obtained by the Associated Press.
New York will pay $91.6 million, raising their total tax owed over the last four years under Cohen to $320.3 million, per the AP. The Dodgers will pay $169.4 million, breaking the high the organization set last year of $103 million. Los Angeles has paid the tax for five consecutive years.
The news ironically breaks on the same day that Cohen took to social media to tamp down concerns about the Mets potentially cutting payroll.
The Mets’ total payroll of $346.7 million included $369,886 in non-cash compensation for Juan Soto, whose 15-year pact included the use of a luxury suite, up to four premium tickets and personal team security for him and his family.
Shohei Ohtani‘s deal with the Dodgers included $949,244 in non-cash compensation for a luxury suite at home games and an interpreter, the AP reported.
The Mets and Dodgers are two of nine teams that will pay the luxury tax. Teams will pay a total of $402.6 million in luxury taxes, about $90 million more than last year’s record $311.3 million.
The other luxury tax payers, per the AP: Yankees ($61.8 million), Phillies ($56.1 million), Blue Jays ($13.6 million), Padres (just under $7 million), Red Sox and Astros ($1.5 million each) and the Rangers (about $190,000).
The bills are due Jan. 21.
