Jennifer Lopez shares a joke with friends as she dines al fresco in New York

Jennifer Lopez shares a joke with friends as she dines al fresco amid ongoing battle to purchase the New York Mets baseball franchise

The intricacies that come with attempting to buy your very own baseball team were swept aside on Sunday as Jennifer Lopez enjoyed an al fresco lunch with friends.

The Latina star was in high spirits during an animated appearance in Manhattan, where she laughed and joked while occupying an outdoor table at a local restaurant.

Sporting an understated black sweater, Jennifer, 51, maintained the causal look she’s adopted during a string of outings across New York over recent days.  

Upbeat: The intricacies that come with attempting to buy your very own baseball team were swept aside on Sunday as Jennifer Lopez enjoyed an al fresco lunch with friends

With a pair of shades perched on her head, the singer and actress caught the eye while chatting with a group of pals over a table littered with wine and water glasses. 

The appearance comes as Jennifer and fiancé Alex ‘A-Rod’ Rodriguez head a consortium focused on purchasing the New York Mets baseball franchise from the the Wilpon and Katz families. 

But according to Newsday, billionaire Steve Cohen looks to be the frontrunner to acquire the storied franchise, with his drive to buy the team going ‘smoothly’ and with ‘no obstacles.’ 

She's pleased: The Latina star was in high spirits during an animated appearance in Manhattan, where she laughed and joked while occupying an outdoor table at a local restaurant

She’s pleased: The Latina star was in high spirits during an animated appearance in Manhattan, where she laughed and joked while occupying an outdoor table at a local restaurant

Relaxed: Sporting an understated black sweater, Jennifer, 51, maintained the causal look she's adopted during a string of outings across New York over recent days

Relaxed: Sporting an understated black sweater, Jennifer, 51, maintained the causal look she’s adopted during a string of outings across New York over recent days

An insider told the outlet that the transaction should become later this month, at which time Cohen would need to be voted in by 23 of 29 fellow owners.

The developments come days after Jennifer and Alex’s side said she would be in control of the franchise – making her baseball’s first female Latina owner, and that they would pay $100 million to charity if the team didn’t win the World Series in 10 years or less.

‘It ain’t over until it is over,’ Lopez told the New York Post on Tuesday, quoting late baseball icon Yogi Berra.

She continued, ‘We are New Yorkers and we are not going to give up. We feel we have the best bid for the sport, the team and the city.’

There she is: With a pair of shades perched on her head, the singer and actress caught the eye while chatting with a group of pals over a table littered with wine and water glasses

There she is: With a pair of shades perched on her head, the singer and actress caught the eye while chatting with a group of pals over a table littered with wine and water glasses

Getting the message: The friends appeared to be entertained by something on Jennifer's phone screen

Getting the message: The friends appeared to be entertained by something on Jennifer’s phone screen 

‘I would be the control person,’ Jennifer said of the planned arrangement with the former MLB shortstop if they were to buy the baseball club from the Wilpons-Katz group.

The multi-talented entertainer and Alex, a former player with the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners, told the publication that their bid was comparable to Cohen’s $2.35 billion bid.

Jennifer and Alex previously said via social media that they had ‘informed the Mets that they are no longer pursuing the acquisition of the team,’ but took down the posts later on. Cohen’s initial move to buy the team came earlier this year, but complications have delayed the sale of the team.

Don't mind me: The multi-talented star couldn't control her laughter during her latest appearance in New York City

Don’t mind me: The multi-talented star couldn’t control her laughter during her latest appearance in New York City 

Let's go: She was later seen climbing into the back of her chauffeur driven car

Let’s go: She was later seen climbing into the back of her chauffeur driven car  

Making moves: The appearance comes as Jennifer and fiancé Alex 'A-Rod' Rodriguez head a consortium focused on purchasing the New York Mets baseball franchise from the the Wilpon and Katz families

Making moves: The appearance comes as Jennifer and fiancé Alex ‘A-Rod’ Rodriguez head a consortium focused on purchasing the New York Mets baseball franchise from the the Wilpon and Katz families