PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Mets owner Steve Cohen once again revealed that he’d eventually like to see his team stay below the “Cohen Tax.”

In search of their first World Series title since 1986, the Mets lost to the Dodgers in last year’s NL Championship Series. After signing Juan Soto and others, Cohen estimated his team’s payroll at $325 million.

After coming within two games of the World Series and then winning the offseason by landing right fielder Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million contract, the Mets have seen a “decent, significant percentage increase” in ticket sales, according to Cohen.

"I've always wanted to be a little more measured in payroll growth, and then we get there and it's never quite there,” Cohen said Tuesday.

PORT ST. LUCIE — Steve Cohen looked around Citi Field last season and didn’t like what he saw. The empty seats in August and September were shocking to the Mets owner and CEO. The team was in the midst of a heated battle for a playoff spot with their division rivals in Atlanta and the reigning NL champs in Arizona.

Since taking over as owner of the New York Mets in 2020, Steve Cohen has been quite clear that he is ready to spend the team into greatness. His biggest splash came in this past offseason, when the Mets brought in superstar Juan Soto on a staggering 15-year,

They say that New York City loves to hate on Los Angeles, while Los Angeles doesn’t even think about New York City. The Los Angeles Dodgers are living rent free in the heads of the New York baseball teams right now for good reason.

Reaching the postseason will be considered the barometer of success, and if the Mets reach the October tournament enough, Cohen is taking the approach that his will eventually be the last team standing. Juan Soto is the top attraction, with Pete Alonso back to provide lineup protection for the Mets’ newest star.