Relive some of the biggest moments from the 2019 MLB All-Star Game. USA TODAY


The Mets have fallen far short of expectations this season. Time may have already run out on their chances to contend, though there is still a second half to play. 

Here are five storylines to watch throughout the rest of the season.: 

Will they be sellers?

This is the obvious question. 

All eyes look ahead to the July 31 trade deadline, which could be the Mets' first public admission that they will not be contenders. They are 40-50, better than only the Marlins in the National League. 

There are a few scenarios that could play out here:

1. General manager Brodie Van Wagenen sells a lot, which would signify a big rebuild. 

2. The Mets trade a couple players, as if to say they won't contend this year but want to instead retool. 

3. They remain confident in the offseason they had and wait for things to play out over a full year. 

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If I'm a betting man, I go with option two as the most likely scenario. As confident as the Mets have been publicly, it is difficult to imagine any organization this far out of the playoff picture believing things will magically change in the next couple months. 

That said, maybe the Mets do feel like this group can do that. Perhaps they actually do think the current players performing to their full potential will be enough to climb out of this hole and push for the playoffs. 

If they sell, who goes?

This will be rather intriguing. 

As you have heard all season, impending free agents Zack Wheeler and Todd Frazier seem like the most likely to depart. Frazier is a veteran that, while serviceable, probably wouldn't factor into a Mets rebuild. The team could bring back Wheeler, who has said he loves playing in New York. 

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Jason Vargas holds a 3.77 ERA and has been nails since the end of April. The Mets could look to deal him. Think about it: His value may never be better than it is now, and a contending team could really desire a guy who has been pretty solid over the last couple months. 

It's difficult to ponder who else could be the centerpiece in a trade. Juan Lagares, a free agent at season's end, is hitting .175. 

It doesn't seem likely the Mets will deal someone like Noah Syndergaard, who has struggled but has the stuff to warrant looks from other teams. They will certainly keep Steven Matz. 

The Mets should be sellers at the deadline, but chances are you won't be throwing out any coveted jerseys come August. Your favorite players will still be on this team, unless something insane happens. 

Could McNeil actually do it?

Jeff McNeil isn't slowing down. 

There has been no slump, no two-week drought, nothing. He doesn't seem to be stopping. 

Could the guy who began last season in Double-A win the batting title this season? 

Not only is it possible, but there is literally no better place that McNeil could find himself in than where he's at right now. 

At .349, he leads the majors in batting average. The Dodgers' Cody Bellinger and Yankees' DJ LeMahieu are tied for second at .336. Nolan Arenado, 10th on the list, is batting .312. 

McNeil is a good step ahead of the pack, which is impressive because when this many games have been played, things even out. But he hasn't stopped hitting. 

The last time someone finished above .349 was in 2010, when Josh Hamilton hit .359. McNeil could hit a tad worse and still win it, though history suggests that hitting in the .340s is a safe bet to become a batting champ. Anything under and you'll end up splitting hairs with other players. 

The most impressive part about McNeil might be that he's a .340 career hitter. This isn't just some ridiculous season he's having. He's played this way since being called up last season. 

The batting title is a very real possibility, especially because he's showed no signs of weakness this year. 

Will we see the other Edwin Diaz?

The Mets thought they were getting the shut-down closer who led the league in saves in 2018. Instead, Edwin Diaz has looked lost. 

He's imploded more than you could've expected in one half of the season. He has a 5.50 ERA that screams "unreliable reliever," but he's had times when he's shown what he can do. 

Which version of himself will he be the next couple months?

This is important. No, the Mets probably won't go on some miracle run. But if they someday decide to execute a hard rebuild, he could be one of the first to go. Losing teams don't need dominant closers. And if that day arrives, where will Diaz's trade value sit? 

For the Mets, now and in the future, it's best if he trends up beginning in the second half. 

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Pete Alonso is going to hit bombs, but how many? 

I know you love some Pete Alonso homer-watch talk. 

He entered the break with 30 jacks. So, he could very well break Aaron Judge's rookie record of 52 homers. 

There are a couple things to factor in here: 

1. Pitchers make adjustments. Alonso will have pitchers treat him differently as the season progresses, and that's to be expected. That said, he's done a great job of staying ahead in the adjustment game to this point. He keeps a notebook of how pitchers pitch him, and he'll surely add to it in the second half of the season. 

2. To break Judge's record, Alonso must remain injury-free. A few weeks out could derail him. You hope everyone stays injury-free. 

Mark McGwire launched 49 homers as a rookie in 1987, and that record held until 2017. 

Alonso could set his own mark.

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