Paul Articulates – Who ya gonna call?

Today is the first of September, which is the day that MLB rosters expand. Unlike earlier years where teams could carry many additional players, the new rules on expansion say that in September a MLB team can carry 28 players, with a maximum of 14 pitchers. So what does that mean for the Mets, who as of August 31st carried 26 players with 13 pitchers? 

Many have speculated about some of the prospects that continue to toil in the minors, like Mark Vientos, Francisco Alvarez, Daniel Palka, Wyatt Young, and Ronny Mauricio. There are also established players like Dominic Smith, Travis Blankenhorn, and Travis Jankowski on the AAA roster that could be summoned. 

This year’s dilemma with the new rules is that you can’t have ‘em all. In fact, assuming that some near-term injury recovery plans are fulfilled, there is scarce room on the roster for additional players. Here is a look at what the roster would look like when carrying 14 pitchers and 14 position players: 

Pitchers (assume Tylor Megill and Drew Smith return to health) 

Starters – deGrom, Scherzer, Bassitt, Walker, Carrasco 

Long Relief – Williams, Megill, Peterson 

Short Relief – Lugo, Smith, Ottavino, May, Givens 

Closer – Diaz 

Left out – Rodriguez, Hunter, Nogosek, Medina, Butto, Grey, RJ Alvarez 

Position players (assume Guillorme returns to health) 

Infielders – Alonso, Lindor, McNeil, Baty, Escobar, Guillorme 

Outfielders – Canha, Nimmo, Marte, Naquin 

Catchers – McCann, Nido

DHs – Ruf, Vogelbach 

Left out – Perez, Alvarez, Vientos, Jankowski, Palka, Dom Smith, Lee, Young, Mauricio 

With the listed players, which include three injury recoveries that are expected in early to mid-September, it seems that there is virtually no room for the inclusion of young prospects for evaluation. 

Baty is on the list because he has been starting at third for the last week or two, but all the other prospects are not there. Of course we would love to see Francisco Alvarez, but he has been shut down for an ankle issue. If you want to see a prospect, you need to axe a veteran. 

Another wrinkle is the playoff roster eligibility rules – a player must be on the MLB 40-man roster as of August 31st to be eligible for the playoff roster. Right now that excludes prospects Palka, Young, and Alvarez. The 40-man roster also excludes Travis Jankowski, who used to be on it prior to his release and subsequent re-acquisition. Travis Blankenhorn is also not on the current 40-man.

On the pitching side, it is even more complicated. I left Joely Rodriguez off the list so I could get Carrasco, Megill, and Smith back on – but that means that the only lefty reliever is long man and spot starter David Peterson. Is that a healthy post-season configuration? 

Years ago, prior to the three batter rule, it was essential to have a lefty specialist on the staff to mitigate the threat of an opposing left-handed slugger, but under current rules that tactic is not used as much because that same pitcher then needs to throw to other righty threats. 

Tough choices abound for the Mets’ leadership – who to call up in September, who to include on a playoff roster (knock on wood), and what contingencies to put in place in case there are new injuries. 

It is now your opportunity to play GM – aside from the starters and key bench players that are established, who would you include and who would you exclude to finalize those last 3-4 positions on a 28-man September active roster?