If what's happening with the New York Mets is any indication, $350 million can buy many stars but not much security.

With their 101-win romp through 2022 still visible in the rearview, things are already beginning to look catastrophic for the Mets in 2023. Losses in 12 of 15 games have dropped them to 17-19 and pushed them eight games behind Atlanta in the National League East.

Oh, and now one of their three-time Cy Young Award winners is hurt.

Just when Justin Verlander finally came off the injured list, Max Scherzer's body is breaking down. He was already pitching through discomfort under his right scapula, and then neck spasms forced the Mets to scratch him from his scheduled start on Tuesday.

This is presumably not what Mets owner Steve Cohen was hoping for during a George Steinbrenner-esque offseason spree in which he ran his club's payroll into record-setting territory in the $350 million range—and that's not even counting inevitable luxury-tax penalties that will push the final bill over $400 million.

The obligatory bright side is that there's still time for the Mets to turn things around. But with the club's playoff odds at FanGraphs having already fallen from 77.1 to 56.6 percent since Opening Day, the object of the game going forward must be not patience, but urgency.