Eight days following the trade deadline, the Mets’ decision to turn 2024 into a gap year makes less sense to me than it did when team owner Steve Cohen and general manager Billy Eppler originally indicated that would be the organizational strategy.

That is the message that was communicated to Max Scherzer in the aftermath of closer David Robertson’s trade to Miami in exchange for a prospect, as the first sign that the organization had thrown in the towel on this season. That is the message apparently also communicated to Justin Verlander following the trade of Scherzer for advanced prospect Luisangel Acuña.

The pivot from all-in on this failed season is understandable and likely even commendable if Cohen’s willingness to assume perceived costs of more than $70 million turns this 2023 sow’s ear into a silk purse.

As Roberto Duran once demonstrated, there is a time to say, “No Mas.” The trade deadline last week was that time for the Mets. The hierarchy got that right. But nothing the front office did should preclude them from going right back at it next year. It is not as if the core was dealt and the Mets’ manager — presumably Buck Showalter — will be forced to fill the lineup card with players not ready for prime time.

Both Cohen and Eppler have talked about how championship organizations are not created through free-agent shopping sprees, but through building a premier farm system. They are correct. But much of the Mets’ best work this season had been achieved by the free-agent class from last winter. Why would they shy away this time around?

If the Mets had signed Vince Coleman, Oliver Perez, Jason Bay and Kaz Matsui off the market, maybe there’d be need for serious introspection about the wisdom of adding free agents to supplement the team. But that’s not akin to what transpired. Indeed, it was pretty much the opposite.

Kodai Senga has been the Mets’ most reliable starter. Verlander pitched to a 1.49 ERA over his final seven starts, in which the club went 5-2. Robertson was a revelation in replacing the injured Edwin Diaz as the closer. Tommy Pham became one of the Mets’ most dangerous hitters. Jose Quintana gets an incomplete because he was on the injured list until July 14.

The holdovers were the issue. Starling Marte and Jeff McNeil have been issues. Third base — after the deal to sign free agent Carlos Correa fell through — has been an issue. Designated hitter, with Daniel Vogelbach inexplicably getting way too many at-bats and second chances, has been an issue.

Sloppiness and carelessness on the field have been issues. The Fielding Bible had the Mets ranked 26th in the majors in runs saved at minus-26 entering their game Tuesday against the Cubs at Citi Field. They had been ranked 15th at plus-13 last year. Baseball Savant had the Mets ranked 26th in outs above average at minus-12 after they had been ranked eighth last season at plus-11. That wasn’t Verlander’s fault. That wasn’t Scherzer’s fault, either.

Now, Cohen did backtrack a bit in a letter, co-signed by his wife, sent to season-ticket subscribers, in which the First Family pledged to put a “formidable” team on the field next season. That’s likely a different word than was used in conversations with Scherzer and Verlander. And that’s already an upgrade from the “competitive” team Eppler had suggested the Mets would present in a press briefing a week earlier.

Maybe ownership is already considering a pivot for the offseason. There will be cheap reclamation projects on the market whom the Mets could plug in and use as a bridge from here to 2025 or 2026. Maybe a Luis Severino. There will be veteran journeymen willing to take one-year deals. Maybe a J.D. Martinez or a Justin Turner or a Lance Lynn or a James Paxton or a Rich Hill.

But, why? And why when the only successful sales pitch to the most intriguing, unique and perhaps greatest free agent to ever hit the market — Shohei Ohtani — would be the promise of instant contention?

Chances are Ohtani does not want to come east. But even the Unique One probably has a price. Cohen would likely be willing to pay the price that would not only elevate his team, but also would knock the Yankees off the back page into the classified section.

Maybe if Ohtani sends signals that he is willing to listen, every carefully cultivated plan would go out the window and the Mets would dive headfirst into the free-agent pool that should include the likes of Aaron Nola, Julio Urias, Blake Snell and Cody Bellinger.

But even if Ohtani stays out west, there is no good reason to wait on a reloading. There is no reason to believe that the core, including Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso, McNeil, Marte and Brandon Nimmo — all of whom are at least age 28 — will be as productive in 2025 or 2026 as they might be next season.

This season has been a failure. It was not, however, a failure of philosophy, but one of performance. The Mets have already had 37 gap years since 1986. There is no need for another one.