Even Steve Cohen has his limits when it comes to the Mets’ payroll.
The owner said it would be “silly” for him to green light any additions to the team prior to the Aug. 1 trade deadline if the team continues to struggle in July.
“If I’m in this position, I’m not adding,’’ Cohen said during a press conference before the Mets’ 5-2 loss to the Brewers at Citi Field. “I think that would be pretty silly. I’d probably do very little.”
The Mets have so far only made one small move, trading away little-used infielder Eduardo Escobar to the Angels in exchange for a pair of minor league pitchers.
Their roster has underperformed in just about all areas, so there could be needs in the rotation and certainly the bullpen and the offense has also struggled.
“If they don’t get better, we have decisions to make at the trade deadline,’’ Cohen said. “That’s not my preferred end result, but we’re preparing for all contingencies.”
As for the future, he said his current spending won’t continue — especially when it comes to signing expensive free-agent pitchers.
“I don’t think it’s sustainable in the long term,” Cohen said. “Just losing the type of money that I’m losing. It’s a lot to ask. And frankly, we’ll figure that out as we go. I certainly have the wherewithal to do it, and it’s just a question of how long.’’
Some of his decisions ride on how the next month — and months — go.
“If it turns out we don’t improve and we’re looking at [2024], with a similar team one year older, for a veteran team, [that’s] probably not a great place to be,’’ Cohen said. “It could get better. But it may not, and so we have to make those adjustments. We have to make honest, truthful judgments.”
After David Peterson delivered his best start of the season after being sent to Triple-A Syracuse following a rough first two months in the Mets’ rotation, the left-hander will remain in the rotation Buck Showalter said.
Peterson, who tossed six scoreless innings against the Brewers on Tuesday, is in line to start on Sunday versus San Francisco.
“He did his part, so the reward is, ‘See you Sunday,’ ’’ Showalter said of Peterson, who took Tylor Megill’s spot after Megill was optioned to Syracuse following his own struggles this year.
“We sent both out and they understood that sometimes, it’s not good enough, regardless of if it’s not always fair,’’ Showalter said. “[Peterson] had a sense of urgency [Tuesday].”
In other rotation news, Showalter said Jose Quintana’s next rehab start is scheduled for Friday at Syracuse. He is expected to have at least one more — and perhaps two — rehab starts before making his season debut.
The slumping Jeff McNeil wasn’t in the lineup Wednesday against lefty Wade Miley, but pinch-hit in the seventh and grounded into a force out and then struck out to end the game.
And he also got a call from Cohen earlier in the day.
“I called him up just to see how he was doing,’’ Cohen said of McNeil, who got his first hit in a week in Tuesday’s win, but has been a mess offensively most of this season.
“I know he’s frustrated and he feels he’s close,’’ Cohen said.
Tommy Pham continued his hot hitting, going 3-for-3 with a homer. He also walked.
— Additional reporting by Andrew Crane