Josh Hader reminder of dangerous trade deadline for promising Mets

Josh Hader arrives at Citi Field on Friday not just as the closer for the suddenly red-hot Astros, but also as a reminder of the dangers of the trade deadline.The Mets, by virtue of their stunning reversal over the past few weeks, have gone from likely deadline sellers to perhaps buyers, just 1 ¹/₂ games out of a wild-card spot.Another option, as The Post’s Mike Puma noted recently, is doing both, potentially moving some starting pitchers with the possible return of Kodai Senga next month, as well as Christian Scott and Jose Butto pitching well at Triple-A.Senga was scheduled to face minor league hitters in live batting practice at Citi Field on Thursday, with a possible rehab assignment soon to follow.That leaves new president of baseball operations David Stearns with plenty of important decisions to make — not just for 2024, but for down the road, as well.The last time he was in charge of a trade deadline was his final season running the show in Milwaukee in 2022.That year, Stearns famously traded his star closer, Hader, to the Padres in exchange for four prospects.

The move was not popular with the team, and the Brewers, atop the NL Central at the time, ended up missing the postseason — while Hader helped San Diego get to the NLCS.Two players on that Brewers team are now in Queens and remember the trade well.“That trade was tough for us,” Adrian Houser said of the deadline transaction.“Hader was such a big part of that team and a big part of that clubhouse.

Everybody loved him and no one wanted him to go, especially with us in first place.It kind of turned us up a little bit.

But that’s the business side of baseball.”Tyrone Taylor said the move stung the team, particularly at first.“As much as it bothered us in the clubhouse when Hader got moved that day, we all understood it was part of the job,’’ Taylor said.“We had a team meeting, literally that day, and reminded ourselves, ‘This is what we have in the clubhouse,’ and to go...