5 players who are definitely entering their final days with the NY Mets

The NFL season is underway which usually means the conclusion of the New York Mets. This year, the Mets are actually battling for the privilege to go beyond 162 games. They’re taking this one down to the wire.

While we witness the Mets challenge for a playoff spot, some players will have the future on their mind as well. It’s these five Mets players whose final days are definitely taking place right now.

1) Jose Quintana

Jose Quintana has become more predictable and not in a good way. The 35-year-old veteran will see his two-year deal expire at the end of this season. As inspiring as he pitched to close out 2023, he has been far more average if not worse in 2024. During his successful stretches, Quintana always seemed like he was on the verge of giving up a home run to spoil the game.

His start on Saturday against the Cincinnati Reds might’ve been a late-season push to give the Mets just what they need in the final days of the season. Going more than three starting pitchers deep will increase their chances at securing a playoff spot.

However, there is very little Quintana can do to actually keep himself in the mix for next season. The emergence of David Peterson, healthy return for Kodai Senga, and expectation of younger players like Christian Scott securing rotation spots will push a pitcher like Quintana out. He has shown his age this season. Anything positive the Mets can get out of him before his contract is up would be a treat.

2) Adam Ottavino

We should see more of Adam Ottavino after this season. The difference is it won’t be in a baseball uniform. Ottavino spent some of his time in the offseason appearing on SNY. His next career move after baseball should have him talking about the game while not actually participating in it any longer. Is this season Ottavino’s final act? It’s a safe guess to believe so.

Ottavino opted out of his contract with the Mets last offseason only to return for the same exact total sans any deferred money. He’ll turn 39 in November and given how much he regressed this season, it’ll be tough to imagine too many times making an investment even at a minimal amount. It can’t be easy to walk away from the game, but this is a likely outcome for Ottavino once the Mets wrap up their season.

Unfortunately for Ottavino, his days with the Mets could even be done after the regular season. A Mets postseason roster might not include him. He has fallen down the depth chart and out of trust with the manager. Routinely only used in blowouts or earlier in games when the team would prefer to rest their better arms, the Mets might not have much of a need for him. In fact, carrying a player like Quintana as a bullpen arm to eat innings in any potential blowout might make more sense.

Ottavino does have 18 games of playoff experience. Roughed around to a 5.68 ERA, it’s not good enough to believe he’ll be an October weapon.

4) Harrison Bader

It has been a tale of about seven different seasons for the 2024 Mets. Center fielder Harrison Bader has only really had two. There was a successful first half and a not so memorable second one. He has fallen back to the mean and for the club to consider him back for next season would go against the way they’re using him more regularly right now. Bader has fallen behind Tyrone Taylor on the depth chart. While still a very capable and terrific defender, throwing another $10.5+ million plus at him to be a part-time player would be irresponsible when we witnessed up close how much he deflated.

Bader hasn’t been a bad Mets player. His attitude has been the right mix. He has had his clutch hits, too. The second-half fading and desire to go with Brandon Nimmo in center field even while he has slumped offensively should have the Mets looking at alternatives. They’ll actually have some coming up from the minor leagues. Everyone from Luisangel Acuna to Drew Gilbert to maybe even Jett Williams by midseason could be center field alternatives.

Paying any center fielder big money to come to the Mets next year doesn’t seem to match what they’ve evolved into. Would starting Taylor out there regularly work? Based on what he has offered them this year, it’s not a half-bad plan.

5) DJ Stewart

DJ Stewart was a really good story for a month last season. This year, he was exhaustive from almost the start. A more athletic and useful version of Daniel Vogelbach, Stewart’s inability to hit regularly despite always being put in the best position to succeed frustrated fans. The Mets avoided putting him at the plate against lefties as much as possible. He never rewarded them for their trust. A brief period this year included a whole lot of walks. The Eddie Gaedel strategy of getting on base doesn’t work when teams realize you aren’t going to do much damage when they start throwing you strikes.

Stewart is out of minor league options beginning next year which erases one of the useful parts of what made him a player worthy of keeping. There is no reason why he should be on the Mets Opening Day roster next year. As a result, his only way to return would be after re-signing on a minor league contract.

Stewart is a non-tender candidate and also a guy who could get kept around through spring training for some protection. The Mets have made a habit of overbooking the roster in recent years. Darin Ruf was one of the last roster cuts in 2023. Phil Bickford had a similar path in 2024.

On the right team, Stewart isn’t a bad player to have on the bench. The Mets aren’t the right team for him.