Reese Kaplan -- The Healthy Roster Jigsaw Puzzle

After the first game victory against Max Scherzer and the Harperless Nationals, everyone is floating on cloud nine.  The BVW acquisitions of Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz both played a role in securing the victory.  Even the heretofore invisible first baseman, Dom Smith, played a hand in ensuring the second run came home by running at the crack of the bat with two men out, scoring from second.

Somewhat lost in all the feel-good stuff is the question no one really seems to want to answer.  What happens to the roster when the walking wounded are deemed ready to play? 

There’s one easy one – Travis d’Arnaud will surely displace Tomas Nido from the backup catcher role.  That one is a no-brainer as Nido still has not shown the ability to hit in the upper minors, let alone the majors. 

After that it gets quite a big harder.  Jed Lowrie is a BVW acquisition and of the two infielders currently out of action, he’s the one with the bigger upside.  The assumption is that third base belongs to him and thus Jeff McNeil will be either a supersub or stationed in left field, making Brandon Nimmo into a full time centerfielder.  While the addition of Lowrie’s offense and leadership is certainly preferable to what Juan Lagares provides in CF, the question remains who goes to make room for him?

Since Lowrie is a switch hitter, his right handed days will offset Juan Lagares’ contributions easily.  Keon Broxton is out of options, plus they made a multi-player trade to acquire him, so I would assume his job is secure.  J.D. Davis is somewhat redundant once Lowrie returns.  He is also a right handed bat.  Since he plays corner infield positions with limited exposure to corner outfield they seem fairly full in that regard.  Consequently Davis may be on the hot seat when it comes to the 25-man roster.

If both McNeil and J.D. Davis had more experience as outfielders, they might be tempted to do something with Juan Lagares.  His trade value is nil at his current $9 million salary, but they could either eat some of that costy to get someone to bite on him at say $3 million a year.  Then you’re out a pro-rated $6 million.  Or they could release him which would cost the full pro-rated $9 million (plus the $500K buyout for 2020).  Personally, I’d think the former approach is shrewder.  However, they can forestall that decision, awaiting another team’s misfortune due to injury, but demoting Davis for Lowrie. 

Picture -- Ed Delaney

However, round two approaches soon thereafter with Todd Frazier due back once his oblique injury heals.  In this case, it may be one of Dom Smith or Pete Alonso that gets the axe.  Once again the Mets have the opportunity to pay down the salary of Todd Frazier to try to entice someone to take a flyer on him at a discounted rate.  Or they could try to sell high, for example, on Dom Smith, whose hot spring may have reestablished some trade value.  Or they could go the Juan Lagares route, but that would leave them painfully thin in the outfield with just McNeil, Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto and Keon Broxton, unless you think there’s an outfield future once again for Smith. 

It seems that BVW will have his work cut out for him over the next 2-4 weeks figuring out how to fit these puzzle pieces together.