You know what is important for how the Mets play the coming trade deadline?

What Steve Cohen’s payroll intentions are for 2024.

Let’s begin here, no matter which route the Mets take at this deadline — buy, sell, a combo of both or stand pat — the intention will be to try and win next year again. They are not going to rebuild.

So, if they decide to sell more than just walk-year players such as David Robertson and Tommy Pham, they will have to believe they are getting enough in return and that those traded players can be adequately replaced for next season.