New York Mets: Jose Reyes could be the next player released

The once productive Jose Reyes has rendered himself virtually useless in 2018, making  New York Mets fans questions his worth on the team.

It is becoming unjustifiable for the New York Mets to keep Jose Reyes on their roster. While the four-time all-star does offer a veteran presence and a contagious, outgoing personality to the clubhouse, his good vibes just aren’t translating to his baseball abilities anymore.

Fans were elated in 2016 when the Mets decided to take a chance on Reyes after he destroyed his reputation with a case of domestic violence. The numbers just haven’t been there and there is no longer a place for him on this team.

Reyes does not have the speed or the power he once did when he first started with the Mets in 2003.

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In 2007, Reyes stole a career-high 78 bases. Reyes is not as quick as he once was, and has only stolen 2 bases so far in 2018. This may not all be due to his speed, it could be that he only has 5 hits in 38 plate appearances, making his time in the base paths very rare.

Reyes is batting an abysmal .139, taking him until April 22 to get his first hit. His teammates made light of the fact that it took Reyes almost an entire month of baseball for him to get his first hit, that they even jokingly asked the umpire for the ball. His teammates may think it is funny, but Mets fans don’t.

Mickey Callaway has sent Reyes to the plate in a couple dire situations so far this season, none of them ending in a good result. Reyes has become an empty at-bat. He has hardly produced anything to a team that has been struggling offensively, yet Callaway still finds it justifiable to start him. In fact, Callaway has him bat leadoff, which should never happen again. Why give the most amount of at-bats to someone who isn’t hitting?

Todd Frazier could easily pick of the moral slack that Reyes would leave behind, so there is really no reason to keep him on the team.

It would be smart to release Reyes when TJ Rivera returns from his rehab assignments. Rivera went down at the end of last July with a tear in his ulnar collateral ligament, needing Tommy John surgery to repair it. Rivera is not a pitcher, making his return easier to obtain, but it does not seem he will be back anytime in the near future.

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Rivera or not, the Mets’ ties with Reyes need to be cut if they are serious about contending this year.