PHILADELPHIA — The Mets aren’t sellers just yet, but their spiraling season still has the potential to place the club in that category. 

The trade of Eduardo Escobar to the Angels on Friday for two minor league pitchers was more of an opportunity deal for the Mets than the beginning of a long sell-off.

The veteran infielder’s role had been greatly diminished and general manager Billy Eppler saw a chance to receive something of value for him. 

Yet it’s easy to envision Eppler tearing apart this team if a turnaround doesn’t materialize relatively soon. 

The Mets entered their game Saturday against the Phillies with a 34-41 record and a season-worst seven games below .500 during a 4-14 stretch.

Could they be on the verge of saying goodbye to additional veteran players? 

“Usually that is what happens: If you don’t play well, people lose jobs,” Francisco Lindor said. “But I don’t see us as a team that is going to sell off. I see us as a team that is going to contend, that is going to be there. We are built to be contenders. We are not playing like it right now, but we’re built for it.” 

Mets owner Steve Cohen didn’t invest a record $440 million (including penalties for exceeding the top tier of the luxury-tax threshold) to watch an in-season teardown. But the Mets might have no other choice. 

Here’s a look at the players likeliest to depart if a turnaround doesn’t occur in the coming weeks: 

The veteran outfielder could certainly fill a role for a playoff contender in need of a right-handed designated hitter or a hitter off the bench.

Pham, 35, was signed last offseason to a one-year deal worth $6 million and might be the rental among the Mets’ offensive players with the most value.

Pham took an .810 OPS into Saturday. 

He has looked better over the last week after he returned from a mental break.

If he continues trending upward, he might bring a respectable return given that he’s under club control through next season. 

This one is trickier, based on the fact the veteran outfielder isn’t even halfway through the four-year contract worth $78 million he received from the Mets before last season.

But Cohen showed a willingness to eat dollars in the Escobar trade (roughly $5 million), which allowed the Mets to receive better prospects in return than they would have otherwise.

Marte has underperformed offensively and defensively but remains a threat on the bases.

The Mets would probably have to swallow almost all of his remaining salary to deal him. 

A steady performer in the final season of a two-year contract worth $26.5 million that contains a club option for next year.

The Mets might want to keep him if Pham is dealt just to provide a sense of stability in the outfield for the second half.

But if the Mets are in sell mode it likely means Ronny Mauricio would be promoted to show what he can accomplish at the major league level.

The Mets then might be content rotating Mauricio and Jeff McNeil between second base and left field with perhaps Mark Vientos as the DH. 

Nobody understands the drill better than the veteran reliever, who was acquired by the Phillies at the trade deadline last year and pitched for them in the World Series.

The Mets signed the right-hander to a one-year contract worth $10 million with the idea he would serve in a setup role, but Edwin Diaz’s absence has left Robertson as the team’s highest-leverage reliever. 

The veteran reliever has been a disappointment after arriving on essentially a two-year contract (he has a player option for next season).

But Ottavino’s track record and stuff suggest he would still be a fit for a contender in need of setup help. 

The fact he’s under club control for the 2024 and 2025 seasons and throws left-handed suggests Raley could command a decent return on the trade market.

But maybe the Mets would want to keep him as part of their future bullpen nucleus.