Less than 10 days ago, the New York Mets were one of this offseason's most intriguing stories because of their inability to hire a general manager despite reaching out to many talented options.

Just more than a week ago, owner Steve Cohen and President Sandy Alderson were introducing Billy Eppler as their general manager while answering questions about exactly how much autonomy he might have amid the existing cogs in the Mets machine.

Not even 100 hours ago, Cohen was tweeting his frustration with agent Rob Martin, who represented Mets starting pitching target Steven Matz. Matz had reportedly agreed to a four-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals without giving the Mets a chance to match or better the offer.

Yet by Saturday morning, the story of the Mets' week was none of those things, but rather a three-player Black Friday spending spree that bolstered their on-field versatility and off-field stability with the addition of three respected, if not transformative, veteran players.

They signed veteran infielder and switch-hitter Eduardo Escobar to a two-year deal reportedly worth $20 million, according to MLB Network. They signed veteran first baseman and outfielder Mark Canha to a two-year deal worth $26.5 million, according to the New York Post. And late Friday night, they agreed to a four-year deal with veteran outfielder Starling Marte, according to MLB Network.

Escobar could start at third base if the Mets want, or simply serve as depth behind infielders J.D. Davis, Jeff McNeil, and Dom Smith, all of whom produced less in 2021 than the Mets had hoped. Canha could play first to give slugging Pete Alonso a day off, play the outfield regularly after the anticipated departure of Michael Conforto to free agency, and allow the Mets to be flexible with a designated hitter if negotiations lead to a rule change in the National League.

And in Marte, the Mets get an everyday center fielder, potentially the best everyday center fielder available via free agency this winter. They can pair him with Brandon Nimmo to create two-thirds of a reliable everyday outfield while leaning on the versatility of the rest of their roster to fill in the third spot with a hot hitter or best matchup - assuming they do not make any further additions to that outfield group.

The deals come as the latest in a weeks-long series of agreements around Major League Baseball that are dispelling any idea that uncertainty over the looming expiration of the collective bargaining agreement would slow the free agent market to a halt.

If anything, that market has moved faster than it might normally - so fast that a week ago, when former Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard signed with the Los Angeles Angels, he admitted he felt he couldn't wait around for the Mets to hire a GM before deciding his future.

Seven days after Eppler was introduced as that GM, he and Cohen went on something of a controlled spending spree Friday, acquiring three steady, solid veteran players for a reported combined price of around $120 million overall and about $40 million in 2022.

None of those veterans are splashy offseason purchases, not the kind of players who bring sudden World Series expectations with them. The youngest of the bunch is Canha, who is 32. They have two all-star selections between them.

But they inject the Mets with credible and respected veterans, led by beloved clubhouse presence Escobar, and create meaningful and versatile depth for a team that, thanks to injuries and underperformance, never discovered the kind of offensive consistency it craved.

The Mets finished the 2021 season with a .315 on-base percentage, 17th highest in the majors. They compiled a .307 weighted on-base average (wOBA), a statistic that attempts to calculate a players' total offensive contributions per plate appearance - a statistic in which a .307 average qualifies as poor. The league average wOBA in 2021, for example, was .314. Marte, Escobar, and Canha may not be superstars, but all three of them exceeded that number individually in 2021.

Marte played the bulk of his 2021 games in center field, but can provide solid defense at any of the three outfield positions. Escobar can be a steady presence at second and third, or an experienced bat off the bench. Canha can play first or anywhere in the outfield. All three qualify as the kind of interchangeable parts around which teams like the Tampa Bay Rays, Los Angeles Dodgers and others have built October success in recent years.

The Mets still don't have a manager, something Alderson said would have to come after he hired a general manager. Plus, Cohen's outspoken Twitter presence has been a source of concern for many in the Mets universe who believe he drives off top front office talent and makes it harder for those he hires to do their jobs. His tweets about Matz and his agent seemed like reminders of just how deep the Mets' problems are, of how long it could take for their proclivity for unforced drama to dissipate.

And they are in desperate need of starting pitching depth, particularly after losing Syndergaard to the Angels, given the uncertainty around Jacob deGrom's health, and with Marcus Stroman hitting free agency. Right-handers Jon Gray and Kevin Gausman are both available via free agency, as is lefty Carlos Rodón. The Athletics, in the midst of downsizing their already low payroll, have several promising starters with whom they might part for the right price.

Regardless, the Mets roster is better equipped for the rigors of a 162-game season and potential playoff run than it was as most of the country sat down to Thanksgiving dinner Thursday. Imagine how much the story could still change between now and spring training.