It sounds like the NY Mets have an entirely different plan for Tobias Myers

He wasn’t just “the other guy” from the trade for Freddy Peralta. Tobias Myers brings a lot of value to the New York Mets. A remaining minor league option on top of experience as a starter and reliever, there are a lot of ways he can contribute this coming season.

The prevailing thought has been that Myers would end up in the bullpen as the team’s lead longman. However, the NY Post’s Mike Puma shared that the team informed Myers upon acquiring him that their goal was to stretch him out to be a starter. David Stearns later confirmed this plan.

No harm. No foul. Get him lengthened out in preparation for taking over a rotation spot in case of injury. At worst, they scale him back in a situation where he is in the bullpen. But what if the intention is to actually demote him and have one of the newest Mets pitchers remain fully ready to take over a rotation spot for the full length of the season?

The Mets may have more interest in Tobias Myers as a starter than a longman

The Mets’ trade for Bryan Hudson only slightly adds to the idea of demoting Myers. If Hudson ends up making the roster, it would be in place of A.J. Minter. This means one less other reliever who can crack the team.

Many projected rosters, including the one put together by Anthony DiComo, have the obvious pitchers making the team alongside Myers, Huascar Brazoban, and Craig Kimbrel. Kimbrel is the only one not on a guaranteed contract. Myers and Brazoban have minor league options.

Late last season, the Mets demoted Brazoban in hopes of stretching him out to around 40 pitches. He’d be a truer longman while Myers can stick to pitching 5-6+ innings in Triple-A while saving himself for that awkward transition from finishing blowouts to being asked to get them through more than half of a game. If the team is actually carrying six starters to begin the year, they’ll have less of a need for a pitcher like Myers anyway with one of the starters possibly making his 2026 debut as a reliever.

It does seem like a lot of what the Mets are doing is planning for the worst. Getting through spring training unscathed by injury to the rotation would be a rare feat. In which case, why not get Myers ready to go 5+ right out of the gate and see how things go from there? The best thing they can do is begin 2026 with a fully loaded roster.