NEW YORK — Before there was the titanic spending spree, the angry tweet, the $40 million check for two pocket aces, and the rush to the biggest payroll in the league, there was a conversation with free-agent lefty Steven Matz.
At the outset, the flashpoint, of Mets owner Steve Cohen‘s renovation of his newly purchased team the old-fashioned way — throwing money at it — there was interest in bringing Matz back from Toronto after his career year, back to his hometown and first club. Matz even spoke personally with Cohen about the owner’s vision, he said.