3 Mets players who should be nervous about joining Aaron Hicks in the DFA pile

The New York Yankees saw enough of Aaron Hicks and decided to move on from him this weekend. The New York Mets could have the same in mind for some of their players.

The rise of several young Mets players has put some added pressure on the veterans. Add in poor performances, ill fits, and other factors, there are three players on the Mets roster currently standing out as the ones most likely to be designated for assignment. Stick around until the end for a pair of honorable mentions.

1) NY Mets outfielder Tommy Pham could join Aaron Hicks in the DFA pile

The Tommy Pham role on the Mets roster isn’t a necessary one with the correct moves around him. Mostly the right-handed half of the Daniel Vogelbach platoon but with an ability to actually play the field, Pham has some value but only if he performs at a high enough level.

No one can safely argue he is meeting the needs of the Mets. Now batting .208/.300/.364 in 90 plate appearances, Pham’s early success has completely disappeared from the radar.

Pham is hitting only .220/.305/.400 against lefties. We could almost excuse the poor overall numbers if he was at least smashing pitches from southpaws. He’s not. There is much less of a reason to keep him around these days.

At $6 million, Pham was signed to a modest amount we all figured could land him in the DFA pile before the year was through. Options were limited in free agency. With Mark Vientos now on the roster and the Mets showing a willingness to at least try him in the field, we have someone else to watch eventually push Pham out.

Pham will likely get a longer look because he does at least play defense. Capable of patrolling all three outfield positions, it’s something the Mets need based on the way the rest of the roster is constructed.

2) NY Mets infielder Eduardo Escobar could join Aaron Hicks in the DFA pile

A little heavier of a payday, Eduardo Escobar is another veteran in danger of losing his job. His salary is at $9.5 million this season. It’s pocket change for Steve Cohen.

A few factors may have Escobar lingering a little longer. Although the switch hitting infielder is batting only .215/.267/.418 and has received less playing time than Pham with 3 fewer plate appearances, Escobar is arguably a more useful defender albeit not any better. The ability to play all over the infield is something the Mets could use. Even if his bat can repeat what it did last year, a spot on the bench makes sense for Escobar.

His popularity in the clubhouse could be a more minor factor. Of course, if Escobar shows he is completely incapable of offering the team anything, it doesn’t matter if he’s class president. The Mets need to make baseball decisions and how much his teammates like him shouldn’t matter at all.

Escobar’s play has actually improved since his playing time declined. He is getting into games regularly as a pinch hitter when he doesn’t start. His batting average was .158 at the start of May and is now in a territory we can almost accept for a part-time player.

For now, Escobar’s roster spot is safe. A prolonged slump could change this.

3) NY Mets pitcher Carlos Carrasco could join Aaron Hicks in the DFA pile

Pitchers aren’t safe even if they do hide in the dugout most of the time. Carlos Carrasco actually has the highest salary of any of the players on this list, honorable or otherwise. The Mets are paying him $14 million this year. In 4 starts he’s 0-2 with an 8.68 ERA.

Health concerns aside, Carrasco hit hard and wild. He has 10 walks in 18.2 innings of work and only 11 strikeouts. We’ll need a few more innings out of him to have any strong opinion. However, with Tylor Megill pitching well and Jose Quintana expected back sometime this summer, Carrasco may quickly become the odd-man out.

The first move for Carrasco should land him in the bullpen. You can always use more arms there. If that fails, the Mets need to make the harsher decision to DFA him. We suffered through the 2021 season. He earned back some trust last year even though there were signs of a decline from his days in Cleveland.

Adding a more reliable starter to the rotation could be a priority for the Mets at this year’s trade deadline. Even if others step up and prove themselves worthy, there is some room for other moves. One could send Carrasco packing. The team cannot have too much patience with him.