What happened: Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns met with reporters ahead of Friday's series opener against the Dodgers, addressing the club's approach to the trade deadline. Stearns said catching depth is a priority, calling Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens "two really good ones" the club is fortunate to have. He also discussed the long-term outlook for a rotation built around Nolan Mclean, Christian Scott and Zac Thornton.

Why it matters: Alvarez, 24, is under club control through 2029, and Torrens recently signed a two-year extension, giving Stearns leverage to keep both even as other contenders look to add catching before the deadline. Stearns framed the rotation's young arms as a strength to build around while flagging pitching depth as an area the front office will need to address heading into 2027.

What to watch: Stearns declined to predict when the Mets' first deadline move might land, noting deals typically accelerate as the cutoff approaches. He said any rotation reinforcement beyond Mclean, Scott and Thornton is more likely a 2027 planning question than an immediate deadline priority.