Mets owner wants winner, but excessive spending not 'optimal'

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PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets owner Steve Cohen said he had a payroll budget in mind when the offseason began, but he had "blown through" that number by the time players reported for spring training.

"Because I want a winning team," Cohen said Tuesday at Clover Park, the Mets' spring training home. "And I want to get the best team I can on the field."

The Mets' current projected payroll is approximately $325 million, second only to the Los Angeles Dodgers, after an offseason that included giving star Juan Soto the richest contract in professional sports history. That is well over the highest competitive balance tax threshold of $301 million, which comes with a 60%…