The New York Mets’ recent trade involving Max Scherzer to the Texas Rangers has raised doubts about the team’s rebuilding strategy for the coming years. Scherzer’s surprise trade and subsequent comments have left players and MLB insiders questioning the Mets’ intentions.

Scherzer, a former ace for the Mets, expressed astonishment at the trade, initially believing he wouldn’t be moved. “I didn’t think I was getting traded,” Scherzer said Thursday on the Foul Territory podcast. “Maybe for a hot minute I did, and then I was like ‘no, it’s not going to happen.’”

He revealed that discussions with fellow players from different teams regarding potential trades alerted him to the Mets’ shifting approach. The veteran pitcher waived his no-trade clause to join the Rangers after learning about the Mets’ plans.

“It was a couple of days before the deadline, all of a sudden, a couple of guys across the league were reaching out to me talking about, ‘Hey, Would you come to this team? Would you waive your no-trade clause for us?’” Scherzer said. “That’s when it became peculiar to me. I figured the Mets were going to sell off the impending free agents. Now all of a sudden there are trade offers for myself. I didn’t want to get blindsided by a trade so you gotta get in front of those things. That’s how I knew something was really up.”

In a conversation with Mets’ general manager Billy Eppler, Scherzer was informed about the team’s vision to rebuild and contend in 2025-2026. The prospect of treating 2024 as a “transitory year” seemed inconsistent with owner Steve Cohen’s previously aggressive stance on team improvement.

However, skepticism has emerged within the baseball community. Despite Scherzer’s account of the Mets’ rebuilding timeline, sources suggest that the team might not entirely forego pursuing top talents like Shohei Ohtani in free agency.

The potential pursuit of young free agents, such as Yoshinobu Yamamoto, remains on the table, reflecting a balanced strategy of team development.

While Scherzer’s trade and comments have raised eyebrows, the Mets’ ultimate course of action in free agency and their approach to rebuilding will play a crucial role in shaping the team’s future.

As the offseason approaches, fans and analysts eagerly await the Mets’ next moves to assess their commitment to both immediate competitiveness and long-term development.

The upcoming game for Scherzer is against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday.