Mets have settled the trade deadline question -- it's time to buy

As recently as the All-Star break, it was fair to wonder if the 2024 Mets were for real.

They were 49-46 and in playoff position, but there was still a tough stretch to get through leading up to the July 30 trade deadline.

Four games on the road against the always-pesky Marlins (no matter what their record is), two games at Yankee Stadium, and four games against the Braves at Citi Field.

But what the Mets have done over the first seven games of that stretch should really seal the deal with four days to go until the deadline. It's time to buy.

The Mets have gone 5-2 since returning from the break, backing up what their much larger sample of success is. That larger sample? A 32-15 record since bottoming out at 22-33 that has vaulted New York to a season-high six games over .500 at 54-48 and into the second Wild Card spot -- just a half game behind Atlanta.

And the Mets haven't gotten here with smoke and mirrors.

They have one of the best, most well-rounded and powerful offenses in baseball -- an offense that has scored 496 runs, near the top of the NL and just four runs fewer than the Phillies.

That offense is led by Francisco Lindor, who is in the midst of an MVP-level campaign. And Jeff McNeil has turned his season around -- a huge development. Also big could be the return of Starling Marte, who is getting close.

They have a strong starting rotation despite the loss of Christian Scott for a bit, and the rotation will be buoyed on Friday by the return of ace Kodai Senga.

Even the much-maligned bullpen is starting to look better, with a top four of Edwin Diaz, Dedniel Nunez, Phil Maton, and unsung hero Jose Butto. Nunez just landed on the IL, but the relief corps should get a boost soon with the returns of Sean Reid-Foley and Reed Garrett.

What should also be on the minds of the front office is that 21 of the Mets' final 60 games are against the Angels, Rockies, Athletics, Marlins, White Sox, Blue Jays, and Nationals, who are all expected to be sellers -- making their already-weak rosters even less imposing.

Combine all of the above, and David Stearns and Co. should have an obvious mandate -- be smartly aggressive at the deadline in order to bolster a team that has electrified Citi Field and the fan base while turning the 2024 campaign into one that has a chance to be special.

What does "special" mean?

It could be as simple as reaching the playoffs after an offseason where many people hysterically claimed the Mets were "punting" the season and after the in-season avalanche of rumors -- some as recent as last week -- that they could trade Pete Alonso at the deadline.

But once a team reaches the postseason, especially in MLB's new format, anything can happen -- as we saw last season with the Diamondbacks. There's no reason why the Mets can't go on a magical run.

What does "smartly aggressive" mean?

For starters, it means not doing anything that could seriously damage the Mets' goal of building a sustained winner that is full of young, homegrown talent. So all of these players should be off-limits:

Jett Williams
Christian Scott
Drew Gilbert
Ryan Clifford
Ronny Mauricio
Luisangel Acuña
Brandon Sproat
Blade Tidwell
Nolan McLean
Jonah Tong

That means there will be no huge splash for the Mets at the deadline. There won't be a deal for someone like Jazz Chisholm Jr., Luis Robert Jr., Garrett Crochet, or Mason Miller. But the Mets don't need a splash.

What the Mets need to do is seriously bolster the bullpen by adding one or two relievers capable of pitching in the late innings. Marlins closer Tanner Scott, who is a free agent after the season, should not net a prospect as good as any listed above. But if not Scott, there will be plenty of other arms out there.

The Mets should also look to add an outfielder to guard against the uncertainty still surrounding Marte. Jesse Winker should be near the top of the list.

And with the injury to Scott, the Mets should also be exploring what it would cost to trade for a starting pitcher who can slot in at the back of the six-man rotation.

There's no telling how this season will end. But what the Mets have made clear is that they are to be taken seriously. And that they deserve for the front office to add pieces ahead of the deadline in order to make an already good team even better.