The New York Mets looked like one of best teams in baseball until it all came crashing down. New York led the NL East for almost the entire season, only to fall behind the Atlanta Braves in the final days of the season and fall to the wild card spot. The Mets then completed their collapse with a loss to the San Diego Padres in the wild card round, including a 6-0 loss in the deciding Game 3.

Since then, though, New York has been one of the busiest teams in baseball. The Mets have lost a few key players in free agency, particularly long-time ace Jacob DeGrom. However, they have also been very active in acquiring players through any means necessary.

The Mets have locked up some of their own players to long-term deals, including Edwin Diaz and Brandon Nimmo. They've been aggressive in free agency, landing one of the biggest players on the market in AL Cy Young Winner Justin Verlander. Steve Cohen has been an aggressive spender since he bought the Mets, and he's living up to it this offseason.

That said, the one place the Mets haven't been too active is the trade market. They have made a trade, acquiring pitchers Elieser Hernandez and Jeff Brigham from the Miami Marlins, but they haven't made a huge splash. Making that big trade would be the cherry on top of an eventful offseason.

With that said, here is what that perfect trade might look like.

Mets perfect offseason trade

Acquire Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox

New York has a very solid roster all around. The Mets have two legit aces in Verlander and Max Scherzer, as well as a strong bullpen. Their infield boasts the likes of Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor, while Nimmo and Lindor headline a strong outfield.

One position where the Mets could improve is at third base. Eduardo Escobar had a solid season, posting 20 home runs and 69 RBIs, but his WAR of 1.2 was the lowest of any Mets starter. An upgrade at the position couldn't hurt, and the perfect candidate might be available.

Since his MLB debut in 2017, Rafael Devers has been a Boston Red Sox staple. The 26-year-old has racked up 139 home runs and 455 RBIs while posting a .283 batting average in his six-year career. He has taken another step recently, earning an All-Star nod and placing top-15 in MVP voting in each of the last two seasons.

Despite how important he has been to Boston's success, questions about his long-term future linger. Devers is due to become a free agent after the 2024 season, and will command a massive contract if he sustain his recent level of play. There's still time for Boston to sign him to an extension, but there is also cause for concern.

If the two sides are unable to come to an agreement, the Mets could swoop in and grab Devers. He'd provide an immediate upgrade at third base and give the Mets arguably the best infield in baseball. A contract extension shouldn't be an issue either, as Cohen has money to burn and will do whatever it takes to win.

Now, what would a Mets trade package for Devers look like? Well, MLB.com proposed a trade package consisting of three prospects in exchange for the Red Sox star. Those three prospects are third baseman Brett Baty, pitcher Blade Tidwell and outfielder Nick Morabito, the No. 2, No. 8 and No. 14 prospects, respectively, in New York's farm system.

It may take slightly more to get a deal done, but these prospects provide a solid foundation. The Mets shouldn't mind giving up those prospects as they are firmly in win-now mode. On the other side, Boston may be entering a slight retool after trading Christian Vasquez at the trade deadline.

Obviously, Boston's main goal should be to keep Devers around for the long haul. However, if the two sides can't come to an agreement, this trade would benefit everyone involved. For the Mets, this trade could be what pushes them over the top.