Here is what a big-market team that truly believes it is a contender does if Plan A does not work: It moves to Plan B, even if the secondary scenario forces it to spend more than they wanted.
Only one New York team has behaved that way late this offseason. That it is the Mets symbolizes the identity flip-flop – at least in the present – of the two clubs.
Both had been determined to only address bullpen needs if they offloaded salary already on the books. The Yankees have stuck to that policy. The Mets audibled.