5 musts for the Mets to score an A+ at this year's trade deadline

5) The Mets must flex their financial strength

What good is having the richest owner in the sport and for that financial might to not constantly flex? It’s like working out all winter and spring and then showing up to the beach in anything but a speedo.

The Mets have been much more cautious financially under David Stearns. Understandably so, they went beyond the brink of sanity with several free agent moves. They’re still paying the literal dollar price for some of those free agent additions who are no longer with the ball club.

This shouldn’t stop the Mets from at least, to some extent, proving there is no dollar amount too high for them. Paying more into the Competitive Balance Tax will dip them further into the red. The bigger ramifications, which come from punishments in the draft and whatnot, are the only concerns. Considering the Mets have already gone as high as they have with the payroll, there is no reason to stop now. Next season is the year when they receive some relief when major contracts come off the books.

Financial strength of the Mets doesn’t need to include dumping a bad salary or taking on one of epic proportions. Something as simple as paying out the remaining portion of a player’s contract for the rest of 2024 is satisfying enough.

Most of all, the Mets can’t avoid anyone just because of how much he’ll add to the 2024 payroll. Luckily, they haven’t hesitated in this spot yet. This year’s Mets don’t make decisions to protect themselves from financial penalties. It shouldn’t stop at the trade deadline.