The Mets need multiple bullpen arms, a catcher and at least another bat for the lineup, and are operating on parallel tracks in attempt to fill those needs.
On one side is the trade option, with Noah Syndergaard as the team’s biggest asset. The other side is free agency, a fall-back option if new general manager Brodie Van Wagenen can’t find a deal that would improve the Mets’ chances of competing in 2019.
And then there is Robinson Cano, available on the trade market, but considered a long shot for the Mets, according to industry sources, based on the $120 million remaining on his contract with the Mariners and the fact Van Wagenen is unlikely to part with the kind prospects it will likely take to acquire the 36-year-old second baseman.