The next 3 NY Mets players who could lose their 40-man roster spot

2 of 3

When the Jake Diekman and Shintaro Fujinami signings become official, the New York Mets will need to boot two players from their 40-man roster to clear space. The lunch table is crowded right now with every spot filled.

Interestingly, the Mets have continued to choose to DFA position players over pitchers for much of the winter even while adding arms. It won’t continue in this case. Zack Short is the only position player left to DFA and his survival this long might be an indication of the Mets keeping him around in case of an injury.

So who’s in more danger of getting pushed off the 40-man roster ledge?

3) Reed Garrett

Only available minor league options make Reed Garrett an optimal pitcher to bury on the 40-man roster. His 5.82 ERA in 9 appearances for the Mets last year wasn’t nearly enough to make him a true contender to stick with the team in 2024. Already 31, he falls behind younger and optional pitchers Grant Hartwig and Josh Walker. Walker also has the advantage of throwing left-handed within an organization who could use the extra southpaw just in case.

Garrett was a waiver claim by the Mets last summer. They sniped him away from the Baltimore Orioles. His tenure was mostly forgettable. Not one of the first casualties from the hand grenade thrown by David Stearns upon taking over in the front office, it does seem like only a matter of time before one of his choices passes Garrett by.

DFA’ing Garrett would be about skill and what he can give the Mets moving forward. He could conceivably remain with the team until Opening Day, but getting outshined by anyone even once the regular season starts should put him a little closer to waivers.

2) Phil Bickford

Phil Bickford lasting this long into the offseason is somewhat of a surprise. For him to even get tendered a contract was a bit puzzling. The Mets are headed to arbitration with him. However, the disagreement over less than $100K could just mean they’re not all that interested anymore.

Stearns’ plan may have now shifted toward trading Bickford even post-DFA. The return wouldn’t be anything all that special. Bickford is still 28 and as a two-time first-round draft pick (he went to college instead the first time), there has always been a little bit of intrigue about what he can do on the field. A lifetime 4.43 ERA after 180.2 innings in the majors hasn’t been the expected results. Considering his lack of minor league options as well, Bickford would put the Mets in an immediate bind. If he isn’t performing, they’re going to end up DFA’ing him anyway.

In the same territory as Bickford are players like Sean Reid-Foley and Yohan Ramirez. Reid-Foley is about even with Bickford and one could just as easily name him instead. He seems to be protection in case of injury the same way the club has kept Short around all offseason.

Then there’s Yohan Ramirez whom the team traded for early in the winter. Although it cost them cash considerations, his lack of minor league options put him on the ledge of getting booted from the team, too.

Perhaps it’s the intrigue of what Ramirez can do and the fact that he was chosen by Stearns which gives off a sense of Bickford and Reid-Foley being more likely DFA candidates.

1) Max Kranick

The Max Kranick story may never get fulfilled. Growing up a Mets fan, he gave us a reason to root for him to make the team. However, as a starting pitcher without any options, he was always a longshot to make the club.

There is no shortage of starting pitching pieces on the 40-man roster in front of Kranick on the 40-man roster. The fact that they cannot option him to the minor leagues either makes it extremely difficult to envision a situation where he makes it much longer. In fact, with the way the Mets have quickly gotten rid of others they claimed off waivers (Cooper Hummel, Tyler Heineman), we should fully prepare the same fate for Kranick.

There really isn’t anyone on the same level as Kranick. He’s the lone starting pitcher outside of the expectation five to open the season who cannot be optioned to the minor leagues. The group of Tylor Megill, Joey Lucchesi, and Jose Butto are all expected to begin the year in Triple-A. Kranick could, but he’d have to first pass through waiver and then accept an assignment to Syracuse. His other option is to become a free agent and sign a minor league deal somewhere else.

From the moment the Mets signed Kranick, the plan seemed to be to touch upon his childhood fandom. With the unlikely chance of him signing a major league deal with another team, why not become a candidate to throw a few innings for the one you rooted for as a kid?

manual

Home / New York Mets News