Sal: Mets need to make major trade splash for top-end starting pitcher

With the trade deadline on Tuesday, Sal says the Mets would be doing “themselves and their fanbase a disservice” if they didn’t go all in given their inspired play over the past two months.

In fact, Sal wants to see New York go all in with a major move to bolster the pitching staff, or else the trade deadline was a failure.

“Let’s not hear about how the prices are high,” Sal said. “Let’s not try now…to soften the blow of a potential flop at the deadline. If you want to be taken seriously, you need to go out there and get a top starting pitcher, a high-end starting pitcher. End of story.

“You also need a legitimate bullpen arm. The offense is now set. You got the lefty bat, fine. Minor move, good upgrade, good job by the Mets. They’ve added bullpen arms…but they haven’t added the bullpen arm.”

The Mets have made moves, acquiring the likes of Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek in the bullpen, and Jesse Winker for a bench bat. But Sal says it’s now time to make a big splash, even if it means parting with prospects or taking on a big contract.

“I don’t want to hear that they’re going for it and then see that they added Stanek and Winker and us thinking ‘they’re going for it.’ That’s not nearly enough,” Sal said. “If the Mets don’t come away from Tuesday’s deadline without Snell, Skubal, or Flaherty, it will be a massive disappointment, and a failure to a certain extent. At the bare minimum, they need another starter and a top bullpen arm. If they don’t do that, I don’t know what to tell you.”