Reese Kaplan -- With All Going Well the Roster Could Change

Well, here we sit on my birthday having watched the Mets just reel off 7 wins in a row with some highly impressive pitching, timely hitting, late inning heroics and a bullpen that looked like it could absolutely support the team towards winning ballgames.  When all is going well you often are advised not to shake things up nor tamper with what has led to this hot streak.  However, there are changes coming that must be considered.

The J.D. Martinez return means that the odd and unnecessary D.J. Stewart temporary promotion should come to an end.  Stewart did not much of anything during the paternity leave for Martinez while Jesse Winker as a DH has been incredible.  With just so many spots in the outfield and at DH you need to choose who is needed to help the team more and who does less.  To me this decision is a no-brainer as Stewart’s presence was not missed once he left earlier this year and again thanks for your effort, but Martinez and Winker are more mission critical.

Word is out that Paul Blackburn is ready to return as soon as Monday.  His rehab start went well and his uneven but generally positive game presence in the starting rotation is far more valuable than another current starter named Tylor Megill.  The closing game against the Red Sox suggested that Megill is an emergency starter at best.  This particular emergency is drawing to a close, so it would seem natural for Blackburn to resume his role as a starter.  Whether Megill is sent packing or shifted to the bullpen is still an open question but David Stearns will be making that decision shortly.

Behind him is starting pitcher Christian Scott.  He’s throwing from a mound and if fully healthy may once again be returned to his role in the rotation.  The Mets do need to see more of Scott as they assess winning games not just in 2024 but also going forward to 2025.  If he joins the rotation for the final two to three weeks of the schedule then it means the Mets need to shelve Jose Quintana, Paul Blackburn or go to a 6-man rotation.  Regardless of which way they go with this decision (including the “don’t rush him back if the playoffs are missed” option), someone would have to be jettisoned to create the roster spot.

Read what I just said about Scott and apply it to a token appearance by season-long IL resident Kodai Senga.  Yes, the Mets want to see him pitch again and Senga himself wants the reassurance by seeing his arm and leg are both fully healed before winter begins.  Here we go again — what player leaves to make the room for Senga back on the roster?  It likely is a member of the bullpen.

Finally, if you want an outside-the-box wildcard option in chasing the wildcard spot, season-long minor leaguer Shintaro Fujinami has been on a hot streak during which is 100 MPH pitching has met with strong control.  It would be good for David Stearns to see if his free agent acquisition could indeed have a future with the Mets but again someone would have to leave to create a roster spot for him. This idea is not mine — it came from our own stalwart scribe, Tom Brennan — and I have to say that this unconventional roster change is not a bad one.