5 Mets non-roster invitees who need every inning possible in spring training

Spring training is a time to figure out what these non-roster invitees can offer the Mets.
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Arizona Diamondbacks v Los Angeles Dodgers / Harry How/GettyImages
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3) Yacksel Rios

A bit more seasoned than many of the others on this list, it didn’t help much last year. Yacksel Rios had a 37.80 ERA last season in 1.2 frames for the Oakland Athletics. In 98.1 MLB innings, it rests at 6.32. Somehow he owns an 8-2 record. Go figure.

Rios did find some success last year in Triple-A with the Atlanta Braves, although it wasn’t enough for him to ever get promoted. In 25.1 innings for them, Rios posted a 2.49 ERA while taming his control a bit more than usual. He walked batters at a rate of 2.8 per 9 compared to the 10.7 strikeouts per 9 he had to go with it.

Hoping he’s someone Mets bullpen coach Jose Rosado can work with heavily this spring (the two know each other from Team Puerto Rico in the WBC), Rios is one of those hard-throwing righties whose control has been an issue throughout his career. Why give him innings in the spring? 

Rios lacks the minor league options which would make him a much more shoo-in to last the season. Far more likely to be a temporary option the Mets promote later in the season than needed, spring training games will at least answer if he’s a more immediate option or a Triple-A project.