In the three weeks since losing to the San Diego Padres in the Wild Card Series, the Mets have been in conversation with many teams about potential trades, with the goal of beginning the offseason with a good feel for both the trade and free agent markets.

According to sources from multiple clubs, the former market will likely not include Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani.

Free agency begins at 9 a.m. ET on the day following the end of the World Series. A memo recently sent to clubs reinforced the longstanding rule that for the first five days after that, teams can speak to free agents, but not discuss contract terms unless that player was previously with their club (meaning: Edwin Diaz can talk terms with the Mets for those five days, but not, say, with the Dodgers).

Because of the late World Series this year, that five-day window could bump into the annual GM Meetings, which begin next Tuesday in Las Vegas. Agents and general managers do not expect that to have a significant impact on the meetings, because most do not talk contract terms with free agents that early.