Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen will speak with reporters before the team opens the second half of the season against the Marlins on Friday night in Miami.

With the Mets at 40-50 and the trade deadline less than three weeks away, here are five questions Van Wagenen should be asked...

What is the trade deadline strategy?

With the Mets not in contention, the expectation is that pending free agent Zack Wheeler will be traded. Also on the block should be fellow pending free agents Todd Frazier and Jason Vargas. But what is Van Wagenen's strategy beyond selling off the obvious pieces?

Teams have recently come calling about Noah Syndergaard, with SNY's Andy Martino reporting that a trade at some point feels inevitable. While it seems likelier that Syndergaard -- who isn't eligible for free agency until after the 2021 season -- could be moved after the season, would Van Wagenen pull the trigger now if he's blown away? What about dangling pieces like Seth Lugo and Dominic Smith? And is there any chance the Mets would go full rebuild and deal Jacob deGrom?

What is Mickey Callaway's job status?

Van Wagenen has given a couple of seemingly half-hearted votes of confidence to Callaway, who is under contract through the 2020 season. And if he was going to be removed in-season, the perfect time to do it would've been after his expletive-laced incident with Newsday's Tim Healey a few weeks ago.

But the recent meeting where Van Wagenen allegedly threw a chair before Callaway's postgame press conference seems to suggest that the manager could still be relieved of his duties before the season ends. As does the fact that some of his coaches have already been fired.

Is the team open to extending Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil in the near-term?

All the rage lately has been teams extending their young talent in order to buy out a couple of years of free agency. The team gets the player at a discount, while the player gets a relatively big payday well before they otherwise would. So would the Mets consider extending Alonso or McNeil soon?

The need is likely more pressing with Alonso, who is under team control for one fewer year since the Mets began the season with him on the 25-man roster rather than waiting the couple of weeks it would have taken to secure that extra year.

What is going on with Jed Lowrie?

Lowrie has missed the entire season up to this point, first due to a left knee capsule sprain and then due to a slight hamstring injury in mid-May that sidelined him when he was nearing a return. Since then, the updates on him have been sporadic and not very specific. The latest update was that he wasn't close to beginning a rehab assignment.

With Lowrie under contract through the 2020 season, knowing exactly what he's dealing with is arguably more important for next season than it is for the rest of this season.

Is Amed Rosario to center field really on the table?

Rosario has struggled badly at shortstop and the possibility of him getting time in center field has been discussed. Are the Mets serious about using him in center field? And if so, would the plan be to eventually shift him there on a full-time basis?

What is the trade deadline strategy?

What is Mickey Callaway's job status?

Is the team open to extending Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil in the near-term?

What is going on with Jed Lowrie?

Is Amed Rosario to center field really on the table?

MARTINO: Here is what Mets want in return for Syndergaard >> Read more

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