ATLANTA — Step 1: Designate Jason Vargas for assignment. This party — a party for masochists, I grant you — is over.
Step 3: Sign Dallas Keuchel.
How long it takes the Mets to navigate Step 2, which in itself contains the legendary five stages of grief — denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance — could very well determine whether Brodie Van Wagenen’s maiden voyage as general manager concludes with champagne.
Vargas’ disastrous Mets sequel attained a new nadir Saturday night at SunTrust Park, as he retired just one Brave and, even more telling, lasted just six batters in his team’s painfully long, 11-7 loss to Atlanta.