MLB Trade Rumors: Mets Not Ready to Commit to Selling at 2023 Deadline

The fourth-place New York Mets have not committed to being sellers at the Aug. 1 MLB trade deadline just yet.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported the news shortly after the Mets defeated the also-struggling Chicago White Sox 11-10 at Citi Field on Tuesday.

"The underachieving/disappointing White Sox and Mets have told suitors of their intentions, though the Mets might just do groundwork until closer to the Aug. 1, 6 p.m. deadline," Sherman wrote. "They are leaving room for a Hail Mary chance to work back toward contention.

"Perhaps they delay a decision to, say, July 29 on which way to proceed—buy, sell, both or neither; plus just how far to go with a sale if that is the direction."

The Mets entered this year with high hopes after a 101-win season and a playoff appearance, but they're currently languishing in fourth with a 44-50 record. That has them 17.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League East.

Their best playoff bet is through the wild card route, but even that will prove to be difficult.

Entering Wednesday, the Mets sat eight games behind the Phillies for the third and final NL wild-card spot, and three teams reside between them while the 44-50 Cubs remain tied with New York.

The Mets have 11 more games until the trade deadline, and they could be crucial in deciding the team's path.

If New York goes on a run that puts them close to .500, then the front office can decide to stay put and hope for the best over the final two months. But if the Mets continue to flounder and find themselves staring at the seismic gap that still exists between them and the playoffs, then it's easy to see them making moves with 2024 in mind.

On the glass half-full side, the Mets don't have the most daunting schedule in front of them. They have two home games against the 40-56 White Sox before visiting the 51-45 Boston Red Sox for what should be the hardest group of matchups in the near future.

The Mets then see the floundering New York Yankees (2-8 in their last 10 games) for a pair before hosting the last-place Washington Nationals for four.

For now, the Mets are hanging on by a thread as they continue their home series with the White Sox.