Do the New York Mets need a captain? Steve Cohen is very clear on this. Amid the debate about who will be the team’s new captain in the 2026 season, the franchise owner made it clear that no player will be given the title.
There are historic Mets names linked to the captaincy. Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter, and John Franco are just a few of them, while David Wright was the most recent, back in 2018.
The top candidates to fill the symbolic position in recent years have been:
- Francisco Lindor
- Brandon Nimmo
- Pete Alonso
Nimmo and Alonso left the team at the end of the 2025 season, leaving Lindor as the seemingly natural choice, but Cohen has now made his position clear.
Cohen doesn’t want a “Captain” for the Mets
Speaking with reporters at the start of the team’s spring training, Cohen was emphatic in stating, “There will never be a captain.”
The team owner added, “Every year, a team is different.” That’s why the decision should come from within the team:
Let the team figure it out in the locker room rather than have a designation.
He also recalled an old custom in the sport. “Having a captain in baseball doesn’t happen often. It’s actually unusual. Whatever previous ownership did, that was their way of doing things. I look at things differently.”
Mendoza agrees with Cohen
Regarding this, the team’s manager, Carlos Mendoza, agreed with Cohen on this matter. As for Lindor, he asserted that the priority is for him to do his job, without burdening him with extra responsibility.
“I just want him to be himself,” Mendoza affirmed. “I think if anything, it’s making sure you play shortstop for the New York Mets. That’s his job,” he explained regarding the priorities for the star infielder.
He emphasized, “It’s on me and our coaches to take a lot off his plate. I don’t want him to do too much.” With spring training in full swing, the Mets’ priority is for each player to fulfill their role.
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