Dueling HRs add more fuel to the ongoing NY Mets Opening Day roster battle

Draw up an ideal bench for a David Stearns-led team and you’re probably going to find a guy whose time is limited. Players like Vidal Brujan this year or Zack Short and Joey Wendle from the past have been regulars with projected Opening Day roster spots. The latter two together formed a redundancy on the 2024 Opening Day roster as versatile defenders who couldn’t hit a whole bunch.

In Tuesday’s game against the Houston Astros, first inning home runs off the bat of Mike Tauchman and Ronny Mauricio made a thunderous suggestion that the Mets needn’t fill out their bench with more short-term players who’ll get into games twice a week for an inning at a time. Additional left-handed pop can be useful, too.

Tauchman and Mauricio’s Opening Day roster chances are heavily reliant on the health and performance of others. Mauricio isn’t going to take up a bench spot without any regular playing time available. He’ll need Francisco Lindor to hit the IL. Tauchman might only get his chance if Carson Benge fails to make the team.

Two Mets players on the outside looking in make a powerful statement

Minus Lindor due to injury or Benge because he fails to win a job, Mauricio and Tauchman are musts. You can make a faint argument Tauchman should still make the team even with Benge. The at-bats might just be harder to come by. The team has made it clear they care about the health of certain players. Luis Robert Jr. should be a candidate to sit a little more often than he has in the past. Jorge Polanco won’t play all 162 games.

On a daily basis, the Mets are bound to already have one capable bat on the bench. Why not two when they’re as capable as what Mauricio and Tauchman can bring?

Mauricio’s ability to play three infield positions (possibly four by the time this year is through) has him fitting in nicely as a utility man. It’s only because the Mets value what his bat can bring and believe there’s more there that he won’t win this limited role. Tauchman as a capable left-handed bat would be nice to have.

There should be little doubt at this point the Mets would seriously consider Mauricio over everyone else for the starting shortstop spot if they have to begin the year without Lindor. He has started 2 of their 4 games at the position. Tauchman is more complicated. The lingering injury that might affect him is Brett Baty. However, with Baty expected to make his spring training debut this weekend, it doesn’t seem to be a large concern.

Baty is another one of those guys whose place within the Mets complicates things. He’s a preferred choice over Mauricio. He’s also a suggested right field alternative over Benge. His presence can bounce both of Tuesday’s first inning sluggers into Triple-A.