rewrite this title The Mets haven’t even begun to address their biggest need

It has to be one of two options.

Either free agency or via a trade.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns can opt not to shop at the top of the free-agent market for a starting pitcher if he so chooses. But that means he has to land an ace via trade.

The Mets cannot follow last year’s ill-fated plans of wishing and hoping bargains pan out. It is what mostly ruined last season and led to the Mets winning just 83 games and missing the playoffs. They can’t just hope for bounce-back seasons from Kodai Senga, David Peterson and Sean Manaea, and for young pitchers Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat to excel.