3 Mets players in danger of losing their 40-man roster spot by June 1

2) NY Mets aren’t getting enough from Tommy Hunter to keep him

Tommy Hunter has essentially become the long man out of the bullpen for the Mets. Regularly going 2+ innings for them in mop-up situations, the ball club has some other more intriguing players they can hand those innings over to. Stephen Nogosek, for instance, is having an arguably better year than Hunter. Age alone could give him an advantage. The Mets can always find another nearly 37-year-old reliever like Hunter. A 28-year-old like Nogosek is tougher to find.

Hunter definitely does seem to enjoy playing for the Mets. After he was traded away in the middle of 2021 for Rich Hill, he returned and has continued to stay with the organization. This won’t protect him from the waiver wire. A smaller salary makes him a potential target of other ball clubs looking for whatever it is he can deliver even if it’s just to eat innings in a blowout.

There is a role for Hunter on the Mets roster. The problem right now is that they need to leave their options open for other improvements. A strong finish to the month and maybe an injury or two to other bullpen arms can help Hunter stay.

It is still hard to imagine him surviving the full season on the Mets roster. Perhaps the most likely scenario is an injury. He has had plenty in his tenure with the ball club.