Mets: Dominic Smith, Matt Adams cannot co-exist on the same roster

The addition of Matt Adams to the New York Mets organization has led many of us to question what’s in store for Dominic Smith. One thing I don’t want to see is both of them on the same roster.

In the days since the New York Mets signed Matt Adams to a minor league deal, everyone has wondered what’s next for Dominic Smith. We’ve already taken a look at some of the options for the Mets. One of them includes keeping Smith on the MLB roster and placing Adams on the Syracuse Mets where his contract suggests he’ll end up.

This is one of the likelier scenarios. Adams is on a minor league contract, after all. He’s also coming off an unproductive season with the Washington Nationals where he hit just .226. However, he did blast 20 home runs in only 333 plate appearances.

Some fans have suggested an alternative to the options we explored. The main one involved both of these defensively limited players sitting on the same bench together. I shiver at the idea of carrying two practically identical players on the same team.

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Adams is the exact type of player I would like to see Smith develop into. He has become a fine part-time player with some good pinch-hitting numbers in the past.

His path is also similar to Smith’s. He, too, got pushed into left field at a point in his career due to the presence of another first baseman. It became quite clear early on Adams is best-suited at first base and Big City didn’t belong beyond the infield dirt for any reason.

Unlike Adams, I think Smith is young enough to possibly become a half-way decent left fielder. I wouldn’t keep them on the same roster together to find out, though.

This is something the Mets need to know about Smith by Opening Day if they intend to keep him and Adams on the same roster together.

The projected Mets bench for the start of the season already lacks some athleticism with one of these guys on the roster. With the pair, the team would carry a trio of first basemen with them into the first game of the season. This doesn’t make any sense when considering Pete Alonso played in 161 games last year for the Mets and should again have near-perfect attendance in 2020.

The solution is pretty simple. Adams will have to earn his way onto the Mets roster—if Smith is still with the organization. Similarly, Smith will have to keep a job on this big league club; something he already earned with his performance last season.

Having too many first basemen isn’t such a bad problem to have. I look at Adams as an insurance policy for whatever comes the Mets’ way.

The addition of the 26th man this year will allow teams to explore how to further expand their rosters. While many teams will use it for a reliever, the Mets have an option to use it on someone to practically work as an exclusive pinch-hitter: Matt Adams.

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I don’t like this plan especially with Yoenis Cespedes supposedly coming back and the unknown abilities left in Jed Lowrie’s game. The Mets have enough guys who can come off the bench and swat baseballs—Smith included. Adams’ time may come, but I wouldn’t force him onto a bench more in need of versatile defenders and runners.