Service time never should’ve been the question with NY Mets rookie Carson Benge

Carson Benge will start in right field for the New York Mets on Opening Day, surprising no one who has watched him this spring. Despite not playing much in Triple-A and performing poorly last year and showing very little power in the preseason, the Mets accepted the reality that Benge probably is their best chance at a successful nine up and nine down to begin the 2026 season.

The Mike Tauchman injury made it pretty clear what the Mets needed to do. Playing cloak and dagger until Monday afternoon, the only reason to keep Benge down would have been the ridiculous notion of service time.

By promoting him to the Opening Day roster, the Mets put Benge in a position to help them earn additional draft picks through the PPI. In terms of his future free agency, the Mets are now on the clock for him to become a free agent after six seasons. Of course, as we learned just last year, there is a way around this.

Carson Benge’s free agency never should’ve been a consideration for his place on the Mets roster this year

Just last season, the Mets made the decision to demote Francisco Alvarez midseason. He wasn’t hitting. He wasn’t playing defense well either. It was time for an adjustment. For the sake of the team and player, he headed to Syracuse.

The Mets kept Alvarez down in the minors long enough to gain an extra year of control. Rather than become a free agent after the 2028 season, his service time was pushed back for another full year because he spent long enough in the minor leagues.

That’s not to say we hope Benge suffers the same fate in his third full major league season. The Mets don’t intend to send him to the minor leagues. However, if he underperforms, it’s not out of the realm of possibility.

High-performing prospects revisiting the minor leagues isn’t a unique concept. Michael Conforto joined the 2015 Mets in July. In 2016, he was demoted back to the minors when his performance didn’t warrant a major league roster spot.

This is different from roster manipulation. It’s playing with the cards you’re dealt. The Mets benefit doubly by putting Benge on the MLB roster now for the PPI benefits. If there’s a bump in the road in the future, they shouldn’t hesitate to use the minor league options to get him right and even keep him down there long enough to give them a seventh year of control.

The lamest thing a team can do is hold back a young player because you’re more concerned about being able to keep them around for a seventh year. Anything but lame, the Mets did exactly what they said they would with Benge. They gave him a shot and he earned his rightful place in the starting lineup.