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So what's next for the New York Mets?  The Mets this offseason have already added to the fold the likes of Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco via Thursday's blockbuster trade with Cleveland, and catcher James McCann and reliever Trevor May via free agency. As well, they retained righty starter Marcus Stroman thanks to an accepted Qualifying Offer. 

Given all that, most teams would call it a winter. However, freshly minted Mets owner Steve Cohen -- determined to spend when pretty much every other team not named the Padres appears to be embracing some level of austerity -- may indeed not be done positioning this roster as a World Series contender. 

Before we delve into any hypotheticals, let's take a look at where the Mets stand. During the abbreviated 2020 season, the Mets' offense ranked seventh in the NL in runs scored and a more promising third in OPS. Here's how their Opening Day lineup might look at this juncture: 

  1. Brandon Nimmo, CF
  2. Jeff McNeil, 2B
  3. Francisco Lindor, SS
  4. Michael Conforto, RF
  5. Pete Alonso, 1B
  6. Dominic Smith, LF
  7. J.D. Davis, 3B
  8. James McCann, C

And now for the rotation, which last season ranked a dismal 13th in the NL in starters' ERA but a more palatable eighth in FIP, which augurs some improvement moving forward: 

  1. Jacob deGrom, RHP
  2. Marcus Stroman, RHP
  3. Carlos Carrasco, RHP
  4. David Peterson, LHP
  5. Steven Matz, LHP

In the bullpen, Edwin Diaz slots in as closer, and May, Dellin Betances, Miguel Castro, Jeurys Familia, Brad Brach, and Seth Lugo, among others, will be tasked with getting the ball to Diaz. 

The season-long suspension of Robinson Cano, which removed his salary from the 2021 books, will force McNeil to go from super-sub to primary second baseman. While that's a hit to depth, McNeil in 2021 figures to approximate or even exceed whatever Cano would've given the Mets. The rotation is poised to be strong, and that's even before you consider that Noah Syndergaard should return from Tommy John surgery at some point in June, barring setback, and slot in as the No. 2 man behind deGrom. 

Removed from the rotation calculus are the mostly disastrous 2020 starts of Rick Porcello and Michael Wacha. Plug in Stroman, who opted out of the COVID-compromised 2020 season, and Carrasco in their stead and you're likely going to see significant improvement in the rotation performance. Then there's the fact that Syndergaard didn't make a single appearance for the Mets last year. He figures to be a rotation fixture for more than half of the 2021 season. 

Circling back to the lineup, the uncertainty over whether the NL will use the designated hitter in 2021 (and beyond) complicates matters, as it does for every other senior circuit club. Dominic Smith has been an excellent hitter for the Mets over the last two seasons, but he presents a defensive quandary. Smith is best deployed as a first baseman, but that's the province of Alonso. He can get by in left field, but he's going to be a liability there. Obviously, Smith would be an ideal everyday plug-in at DH, but that would require the Mets to obtain another starting outfielder. 

That of course leads into the ongoing George Springer rumors. Springer is among the very best of available free agents, and as such he's going to command a deal that stretches comfortably into nine figures. The Mets have been prominently linked to him ever since Cohen assumed ownership, and nothing about the Lindor acquisition should change that. 

The signing of Springer would likely push Nimmo to a corner and Smith either to a reserve role or DH, should universality return for 2021. While Smith merits a spot in the lineup every day, save for when a dominant lefty starts for the opposition, he would give the Mets a most imposing bench bat. In other words, there's no reason to dawdle on Springer just because MLB has inexplicably left the DH situation unresolved for this long. 

One can argue that the Mets should be in the market for third base help, but Davis projects as a solid solution at the position. If the Mets, however, do want to explore the market for Justin Turner or even engage in Nolan Arenado or Kris Bryant talks, then no one should stop them. A Springer signing, though, seems like a better use of resources. 

The Mets have also been linked to Trevor Bauer, the reigning NL Cy Young winner and top arm on the free agent market. While the rotation as noted appears to be in fine shape, there's room for another frontline starter on any roster. Given the injury histories of some of the Mets' core starting pitchers, that's perhaps especially the case for them. As well, Bauer's presence would perhaps allow Matz to shift to the bullpen, which is presently devoid of any left-handers (more on that in a moment). 

The good news for the Mets' front office is that there aren't any glaring, urgent needs within the current roster. Add a true needle-mover and a complementary piece or two, and you're set. 

On the financial front, even after the Lindor and Carrasco additions, Cohen and the Mets may have around $30 million of room under the Competitive Balance Tax threshold (CBT, or luxury tax in common parlance). Cohen has promised to spend at levels befitting a team that dwells in the media capital of the Western world, and that should mean operating without any regard for the overstated spending disincentives of the CBT. Even if he does want to remain within range of that soft cap, he's got some room. The Mets, though, would be first-time "offenders" even if they go over, so the penalties are even lighter. In other words, Cohen should pay no mind to the CBT as Sandy Alderson and Jared Porter work to improve their standing.

So what should the Mets' remaining to-do list look like? Here: 

  • Sign Springer or Bauer.
  • Sign Brad Hand to give the bullpen an established lefty. 

But wait, that's not all: 

  • Do everything you can to sign Lindor to a long-term extension before he becomes a free agent next offseason.

Given the team's resources and Cohen's devotion to using them, those aren't heavy lifts for the Mets.