It has been a disappointing season for the New York Mets, who went from winning 101 games last season to being well out of a playoff position.
The reality of the team’s situation was made clear with the decision to trade closer David Robertson, which put them in the category of sellers after an unprecedented off-season where they spent nearly $500 million on free agents.
The decision to offload Robertson didn’t sit too well with Max Scherzer, who acknowledged that his struggles have played a part in how the Mets’ season has unfolded.
“Disappointed. I mean, obviously, we put ourselves in this position. We haven’t played well enough as a team,” Scherzer told reporters Friday. “I’ve had a hand in that for why we’re in the position that we’re at. Can’t get mad at anybody but yourself, but it stinks.”
When asked about his own future with the Mets, Scherzer pointed out that his situation remains different from his time with the Washington Nationals, where he was a free agent and looking to join a contender.
The 39-year-old has a player option worth $43.3 million in 2024 but that decision to commit will likely be tied to the team’s plans to compete.
“You have to talk to the brass. You have to understand what they see, what they’re going to do,” Scherzer told reporters. “That’s the best I can tell you. I told you I wasn’t going to comment on this until Steve (Cohen) was going to sell. We traded Robertson. Now, we need to have a conversation.”
The Mets, who began the season with a $353-million payroll, beat the Nationals on Friday to move 6.5 games back of a wild-card spot and 17 games behind the Atlanta Braves for the top spot in the NL East.
Trading Robertson provided a savings of nearly $6.75 million for the Mets. The Marlins pay the $3,548,387 remaining of Robertson’s $10-million salary. New York’s luxury tax bill is reduced by $3.19 million.
“We didn’t have visions of this at the start of the season,” Mets general manager Billy Eppler told reporters about the position the team finds itself in.
Another player whose future has come into question is former Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander, who is guaranteed $43.3 million in 2024 and also has a conditional $35-million player option for 2025.
What the Mets decide to do with Verlander and Scherzer ahead of the trade deadline could have big implications on what the team’s direction us heading into 2024.
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