The key questions facing Mets in second half of season

Here are the pressing questions facing the Mets as the unofficial start of the second half of the season is set to begin Friday:

What do they do before the July 31 trade deadline? 

Significant injuries to A.J. Minter, Dedniel Núñez and Max Kranick have left a taxed bullpen even more depleted, so expect some imports there.

They also figure to be in the market for a center fielder — and they still haven’t landed on a third baseman, with Mark Vientos and Brett Baty unable to grab the position — although Ronny Mauricio has shown promise — as their lineup needs more consistency outside of Juan Soto and Pete Alonso. 

Can their pitching stay healthy? 

Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea have been mostly excellent for the Mets when they’ve been able to take the mound, but they’ve both dealt with injuries — as has Frankie Montas and each figures to be relied upon down the stretch. 

How do they fix Francisco Alvarez? 

The young catcher was long expected to be a major part of the team’s future, but his production has continued to plummet.

The Mets grew so desperate they optioned him to Triple-A Syracuse, where Alvarez has drawn praise for his improvement and work ethic, but they need that to translate to results in the majors.