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Mets' Cohen rips Matz's agent after left-hander reportedly joins Cards

David Dee Delgado / Getty Images News / Getty

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen is upset with Steven Matz's agent for misleading his team about the free agent's intentions before reportedly landing a deal with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Cohen said Matz's agent, Rob Martin, told New York the left-hander's first choice was a return to the Mets because they had "unfinished business," according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

"Most relationships I have had with agents have been wonderful. The conversations have been good, they really have been. But here this was different. This was something so over the line," Cohen said Wednesday.

Cohen added: "I can't imagine what the agent was thinking in the context of how they reached out to us and the reasons they wanted to come back. I have never had an agent do that before with me."

The 65-year-old billionaire is also angry with Martin for not giving the Mets a chance to match the reported four-year, $44-million contract Matz agreed to with the Cardinals, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

The Mets were under the impression Martin would return to the negotiating table, at which point New York would've offered the pitcher the same deal as St. Louis did, sources told Heyman.

"I'm not happy this morning. I've never seen such unprofessional behavior exhibited by a player's agent. I guess words and promises don't matter," Cohen tweeted Wednesday.

Martin said he reached out to Cohen on Wednesday, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

"We are aware of Mr. Cohen's tweet. It's unfortunate that he chose to take his frustrations to Twitter," Martin said in a statement obtained by Rosenthal. "I will not do the same, and instead will take the high road, which is consistent with both my character and the character of our client.

"Steven Matz grew up a Mets fan, loved his time there, and continues to invest in the New York community through his efforts supporting N.Y.'s first responders. As a result of all that, there was a strong pull to return to the Mets. But ultimately, he made the decision he felt was best for him and his family."

The agent also suggested Matz changed his mind about returning to New York, reports Heyman.

Mets general manager Billy Eppler is also upset with Martin, according to Heyman.

Matz, who's from Long Island, spent the first six seasons of his career with the Mets after the club selected him in the second round of the 2009 draft.

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