3 Mets players Christian Scott could replace on the 40-man roster once called up

3) Shintaro Fujinami

Here’s the bold option: DFA Shintaro Fujinami. A major league free agent signing this offseason, Fujinami has been terrible in the minors. He’s giving up runs, walking batters at a horrific rate, and unlikely to get promoted to the big league roster anytime soon. Signed for $3.35 million, DFA’ing him isn’t so outrageous because of how untouched he’d go on the waiver wire. And even if he did get claimed, what are the Mets really losing?

Fujinami was hyped coming into this season. His talents, as great as they were, haven’t come to fruition in Major League Baseball or the minor leagues with Syracuse. The Mets can safely designate him for assignment, let him pass through waivers, and continue to work with him on the farm.

There is little reason for the Mets to carry Fujinami on their 40-man roster right now with the way he has pitched. A 15.88 ERA and 13 walks in 5.2 innings is unbelievable.

The Mets won’t be strangers to putting bigger contracts on the waiver wire. When Alvarez does return, they’ll need to make a choice between Tomas Nido and Omar Narvaez. Nido is making far less but has been just as effective. He passed through waivers successfully last year. Would he do it again this time around?

It’s a little different with Fujinami. Costing a bit more than Nido and having been passed over during the offseason, he’s a project not every ownership group would be willing to add to their payroll.