Mets' Eppler Explains Max Scherzer Trade: 'It's Not a Rebuild. It's Not a Fire Sale'

New York Mets general manager Billy Eppler told reporters that his team is not undergoing a "rebuild" or "fire sale" despite trading three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer to the Texas Rangers.

Anthony DiComo of MLB.com relayed the remarks.

The Mets won 101 games last year and entered this season with lofty expectations, but they currently sit fourth in the NL East with a 49-55 record.

That led to speculation and rumors about whether the team would be sellers at the deadline, and now Scherzer is gone after fewer than two years in town.

Eppler made his remarks during a chat with reporters on Sunday. He opened as follows:

"Just to kind of open a little bit here regarding the Max trade. Kind of given the place we're in, and the odds we're facing, it was a strategic decision, and we kind of took this opportunity to kind of serve another goal in the organization, which is enhance the farm system. But I do want to be clear that It's not a rebuild, it's not a faire sale, it's not a liquidation. This is just a repurposing of Steve's investment in the club and kind of shifting that investment from the team into the organization."

The Mets got back 21-year-old shortstop prospect Luisangel Acuña, who was lighting up Double-A Frisco with a .315 batting average, seven home runs, 51 RBI and 42 stolen bases. He's ranked as MLB.com's No. 44 prospect and is now listed as the Mets' No. 2 prospect.

New York has certainly improved the farm system with the move, although trading Scherzer certainly indicates a waving of the white flag for 2023. The Mets also free themselves from paying $22.5 million of Scherzer's remaining salary.

For now, New York is playing out the string of a seemingly lost season. The date to watch is Aug. 1, however, to see if the Mets make any more moves after the Scherzer deal.