4 unpopular NY Mets Opening Day roster decisions the team could realistically make

The Mets will make at least one Opening Day roster decision fans will be unified shaking their fists at.
ByTim Boyle|
Feb 23, 2025; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA;  New York Mets shortstop Donovan Walton fields a ground ball during the seventh inning against the Miami Marlins at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
Feb 23, 2025; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets shortstop Donovan Walton fields a ground ball during the seventh inning against the Miami Marlins at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
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2) Send Tylor Megill to the minors and start Paul Blackburn

There is no perfect scenario for the Mets rotation to begin the year. Down Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas, their depth will be thrust forward and asked to deliver a chance to win early on. Griffin Canning appears to be a lock for the rotation at the moment. The remaining question is if it’ll be Tylor Megill or Paul Blackburn for the last rotation spot.

The Mets have an option to throw one into the bullpen and keep the other in the rotation. They can also safely option Megill to the minor leagues and let the more seasoned Blackburn win or lose as a starting pitcher. How unpopular of a choice would this be considering how things have gone this spring?

Even though Megill hasn’t been unworldly at 0-2 with a 3.86 ERA, he has more fans in his corner simply by being homegrown. Many are holding out hope for him to become a more reliable arm in the rotation as well.

Moreover, the unpopularity of a decision like this would be about Blackburn’s inefficiencies. He doesn’t have a great track record. This spring, his 5.68 ERA sticks out like a bad wig. The plan for him always seemed to have Blackburn slotting in as a mop-up guy with a chance to start in case of emergency. The emergencies happened a little earlier than desired.

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