Mets should call up Reynolds or Herrera in addition to Campbell

Even before the Mets receive results of the MRI on David Wright‘s right hamstring, it’s apparent that a 15-day disabled list stint is close to a given. And the Mets need to do more than just call up Eric Campbell.

Wright, who initially stayed in the game after sliding into second base before deciding to err on the side of caution, doesn’t seem too worried about his hamstring (whereas Terry Collins gave off a sky-is-falling aura). Still, Wright told reporters on Tuesday night that this is something he’d rather let heal for two weeks than linger for two months.

Speaking after the game, Wright said that after his last hamstring injury (in 2013), he couldn’t walk. This time, he walked off under his own power and was standing up afterwards speaking to reporters – almost certainly a good sign.

At 5-3, the Mets are off to a good start, but they can’t be complacent here. Simply subbing in Eric Campbell for David Wright isn’t enough.

Campbell, 28, hit .263/.322/.358 in 211 plate appearances for the Mets in 2014, and is fine as a bench piece. However, inserting him into the starting lineup for at least a two-week span doesn’t seem like the right way to go, especially when better options exist.

If Wright lands on the disabled list as expected, it would be wise for the Mets to make two separate roster moves. There are 40-man roster considerations, but the Mets would be able to open spots by transferring Zack Wheeler to the 60-day disabled list or using the suspended Jenrry Mejia‘s spot.

The first move would be to place Wright on the DL and recall Campbell.

The second move should be to send reliever Erik Goeddel back to Triple-A Las Vegas and call up either Matt Reynolds or Dilson Herrera.

More from New York Mets News

• NY Mets: Trade market for starting pitchers feels non-existent
• NY Mets need to call the Athletics about a Matt Chapman trade
• NY Mets dream starting lineup for the 2022 season
• NY Mets offseason makeover might be a simple “She’s All That” situation
• NY Mets: 8 Ex-Amazins who killed it with other teams in 2021

In the above scenario, either Reynolds or Herrera would play second base, with Daniel Murphy shifting over to third base in Wright’s absence. This would also give the Mets a five-man bench and seven-man bullpen, something that will be important given Michael Cuddyer‘s bruised hand and Murphy’s own hamstring which isn’t yet 100 percent.

To put it another way…

When you have two players who are highly thought of by the organization and viewed as potential regulars, the smart play is to promote one of them to hopefully help fill the void that will be left in the lineup if Wright lands on the disabled list.

Making this a straight Wright for Campbell swap would likely hurt the Mets as far as the every day lineup is concerned, and would also mean keeping the four-man bench at a time when the Mets really can’t afford to be doing that.