Reese Kaplan -- Reshaping the 40-Man Roster

Words that seemed impossible to utter with a straight face as recently as the All Star break, but the Mets need to start thinking long and hard about how to shape their 40-man roster with the prospect of a post-season appearance on the horizon.  Despite the Braves' sweep this weekend, they can still make a run at it.  There are several people on the 40-man roster who through injury or incompetence can likely be removed from it and thus open up space for others who might help in the September final push to the playoffs. 

First of all, you have two players currently on the 60-day IL who are not taking up a spot on the 40-man roster, but who will soon need to be added back onto it – Brandon Nimmo and Jed Lowrie.  There’s no question both will cost someone a job.  Considering the Mets have two outfielders on the thinnest of ice in Aaron Altherr and Rajai Davis, one of them is sure to go.  (Since writing this piece, Altherr was gone to make room for Rene Rivera who was needed after the concussion protocol IL stint for Tomas Nido).

In Lowrie’s case, you have two spare infielders at the moment in Joe Panik and Luis Guillorme.  Panik’s role is probably secure with Robinson Cano possibly done for the season and having a year of financial control available.  He’s had some timely hits as well.  Guillorme is getting his usual treatment – almost never playing but he did have a key HR in a recent game.  Jeff McNeil who is likely to return to the infield is also left handed, and Jed Lowrie is a switch hitter. 

After those two moves, there are a number of others that can be made.  Robinson Cano, Dominic Smith and Robert Gsellman are all in that “likely done for the year” situation, yet each resides on the 40-man roster.  If you move someone to the 60-day IL, you then open up that spot for someone else.  Once the Mets get a clearer medical picture, I can see one or more of them getting this designation.  It goes away after the season ends and they will revert to the 40-man roster, so it’s only a temporary fix.

Speaking of the 60-day IL, the Mets already have pitchers Jacob Rhame and Drew Smith on it.  In the case of Smith, I can foresee them making room on the 40-man roster to see what they have in him.  In the case of Rhame, it’s entirely possible he’ll be dropped from it as he hasn’t distinguished himself thus far in his trials in the major leagues. 

Oddly, although Franklyn Kilome has been out all year for Tommy John Surgery, he is still not on the 60-day IL and could easily open up another spot.  The rub there is that to be put on the 60-day IL means you are treated as a major league player, accumulating both service time and major league minimum salary.   Kilome has yet to throw a single pitch in the majors and by keeping him on the 40-man roster instead of the 60-day IL he retains his full rookie status at a significantly lower rate of pay and they retain another year of control over his salary. 

Next we have the, ahem, competency-challenged folks who are on the 40-man roster for whom you can make a case they deserve to be dropped from it.  Let’s start with reliever Tyler Bashlor.  In the minors he’s been better than average with a 3.37 ERA and an average of 12 Ks per 9 IP.  That success has not translated to the majors where over parts of two years he’s north of 5.00 with an 0-6 record.  He’ll turn 27 next year and it may be that his prospect window has closed.

Chris Flexen had a few moments in the minor league sun.  His career bush league ERA is a respectable 3.58 but he doesn’t strike out people at a prodigious rate and allows far too many baserunners.  In a few brief trials in the majors it’s been rough, with an 8.15 ERA. 

Corey Oswalt once won minor league pitcher of the year honors.  This season he’s won similar shorter-term accolades.  He’s 25 games over .500 for his minor league career and holds a 3.51 ERA with far better control of baserunners than his teammate Flexen.  He’s 25 this year and probably it’s his last gasp at a starting gig.

The 24 year old Stephen Nogosek is one of those hard throwing but wild relievers picked up during the great sell-off of 2017.  His 3.19 ERA in the minors is good.  His nearly 5 walks per 9 IP is not.  In the majors he’s thus-far pitched to an ERA north of 10.00.

The 29-year-old Chris Mazza has some very fine peripheral numbers in the minors despite only sporting a .500 record.  A 3.22 ERA is pretty impressive along with great control, but only fanning 7 per 9 IP isn’t going to get him noticed.  He’s worked both out of the pen and as a starter.  At his age, it wouldn’t be a great loss to see him excised from the 40-man roster. 

Similarly, the 29-year-old Drew Gagnon is Mazza-lite.  His numbers are worse across the board yet he’s gotten more opportunities.  He has not made the most of them.  Another probably roster casualty…

Eric Hanhold is another member of that class of 2017 trade bait never destined to amount to much.  And he hasn’t. 

The ex-El Paso Chihuahua Walker Lockett came over to the Mets in the Kevin Plawecki trade.  Some deals are termed win-win.  This one appears to be a lose-lose.  He has good control.  There’s nothing much more to say about his pitching. 

Although he hasn’t accomplished much in his short time with the Mets in NY and in Syracuse, the left-handed Donnie Hart has a respectable minor league record and good control.  However, at age 28 this year, he’s not likely going to make a huge impact in the majors at this stage of his career. 

If you’re going to make a case to keep Donnie Hart than an even stronger case can be made for Daniel Zamora who has a 3.05 ERA and over 10Ks per 9 IP for his minor league career with good control.  He did not have a good 2019 with an ERA over 4.00 in 26 games, but he’s 2 years younger than Hart. 

Now the flip side is if you do create some roster flexibility, who would you add?  The first name on my list would be Matt Blackham who is pitching beautifully in AAA after dominating AA.  I would also consider adding Arismendy Alcantara and Dilson Herrera.  Both are having terrific seasons in the minors and should get some bench consideration for the big leagues (particularly with the bench outfielders and bench infielders continuing to struggle).