Despite what Max Scherzer was told in order to waive his no-trade clause, the Mets always insisted, at least in public, that they were going to attempt to field a playoff team in 2024. This may have seemed like wishful thinking at times, especially without significant signings that act as the most surefire way to hype a fanbase up to expect a winning season.
But when J.D. Martinez signed a one-year, $12 million deal late in spring training, the Mets made their most compelling argument for competition this season. Simply put, if the team didn’t want to win, they would never have signed Martinez.