2024 Mets can view Diamondbacks as latest example of not having to be 'all-in' to reach World Series

As the 84-win Diamondbacks celebrated at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday night after vanquishing the 90-win Phillies to reach the World Series, they served as the latest reminder to the Mets and the rest of baseball that all you have to do is reach the playoffs to be a World Series contender.

Following the Mets' trade deadline sell-off a few months ago, which was bookended by comments from team brass -- including owner Steve Cohen -- about New York perhaps not having the same high expectations entering the 2024 season that they had entering 2023, there has been lots of hand-wringing.

Some of the most used phrases since then have been iterations of "2024 will be a transition year," "the Mets won't be all-in," and "they won't be serious contenders."

But here's the thing...

Even if the Mets aren't "all-in" in 2024, they can still reach the playoffs -- David Stearns' stated goal being to compete for a playoff spot. And if they make the playoffs, they can get to the World Series -- and win it.

Translation: Every team that reaches the playoffs is a World Series contender, especially in the new 12-team version of the postseason where all hell breaks loose from time to time.

Before we run the risk of this getting twisted, this is not me doing a Jerry DiPoto impression, implying that the Mets (and other teams) shouldn't be doing everything they can to win as many games as possible during the regular season.

Rather, this is me pointing out that even if the Mets don't land Shohei Ohtani or another massive star this offseason, they should still be able to easily put together a team that can reach the playoffs as they wait for some of their high-impact prospects to develop.

The dirty secret throughout MLB is that lots of teams are trying to get to a magic win total in the mid-to high-80s each year, which often allows them to reach the postseason and have a shot.

That won't be the case long term with the Mets, who are trying to build a juggernaut under Cohen and Stearns that combines deep pockets and elite player development that churns out fantastic teams year after year.

But in 2024, there's a chance New York will enter the season simply as a contender to reach the playoffs, instead of being a preseason favorite to win the World Series.

And as is noted above, that just might not matter as long as they reach the postseason.

Let's look at some numbers regarding the 2023 Diamondbacks, who will face the 90-win Rangers in the World Series:

- Arizona not only finished with the worst record of all the 2023 playoff teams, but had a run differential of -17, making them the only playoff team to not have a positive run differential

- They finished 16 games behind the Dodgers, who won the NL West and were swept by the D-Backs in the NLDS

- The D-Backs went 5-20 to open the second half of the season, but were able to turn things around and reach the playoffs

Most glaring is that the 2023 Mets, who underperformed at a crazy level during the first half and were decimated in August and September following the trade deadline deals, won six of seven games from Arizona this season -- including three of four in September when the D-Backs were scratching and clawing for a playoff spot.

During that September series at Citi Field, the Mets lost the first game by one run before outscoring Arizona, 25 to 6, to take the next three.

So again, anything can happen once you reach the playoffs.

There will be some who say the Mets, who finished 75-87 in 2023, have a hill that's too high to climb in order to reach the playoffs in 2024.

I disagree.

The 2022 Diamondbacks finished 74-88 and the 2022 Rangers finished 68-94. Quick turnarounds happen.

Perhaps the Mets won't to add 15 or 20 wins to their 2023 total, but they should be able to add enough to play in October.

The return of Edwin Diaz alone will provide an enormous jolt, and the Mets will almost certainly seriously bolster their starting rotation, bullpen, and offense -- specifically at designated hitter and/or in the outfield.

And as was the case with Arizona in 2023 with the ascension of Corbin Carroll, the 2024 Mets should get a boost from some of their near-ready prospects, including Drew Gilbert and Luisangel Acuña.

Again, the Mets should not be regularly aiming to simply sneak into the playoffs. They should be (and are) looking to build a team that can ascend to the top of the NL East and knock off the Braves. But they don't have to wait to reach that height to be able to win it all, as we're seeing again this postseason.