Another Mets reliever DFA'd already shows a needed lack of mercy and poor planning

The epic battle for the last spot in the New York Mets bullpen in spring training hasn't exactly turned out the way the team wanted. Michael Tonkin was designated for assignment late last week. Yohan Ramirez, the other low-performing expendable bullpen arm, met the same fate on Monday.

Neither was enough of a proven commodity in the big leagues to get a long enough leash to continue losing games for the Mets. It was likely that at least one of the two wouldn't make it through April. Unfortunately, both went kaboom in appearances where the game was on the line

Tonkin and Ramirez are okay to have around for a different purpose. It's not to win games. Tonkin had no business being on the mound in extra innings twice in one week. Ramirez, in what could be his final Mets outing on Saturday, took one for the team (again!) by taking a beating against the Cincinnati Reds because of the team’s overuse of relievers.

The Mets still have bullpen issues even after getting rid of these two

The early dismissal shows a lack of mercy on behalf of the front office and for the better. For the worst, it points back to the team's poor planning of not having a single optional reliever on the roster to open the season.

The Mets haven't solved their bullpen issues. Reed Garrett, who essentially takes on the Tonkin role and spot in the bullpen, has been excellent. However, as the lone optional reliever they have left, he could easily end up sent back to Syracuse to await a recall.

When it comes to preparedness, the Mets weren’t shy about overfilling their options this offseason. The man to replace Ramirez on the roster, Cole Sulser, was one of several to sign a minor league deal with the team with hopes of salvaging his career.

Several Opening Day bullpen plans have already gone sideways. Let’s not forget about Shintaro Fujinami. A wise addition because of his minor league options he has allowed just 1 hit and 1 run in his first 2.2 innings for Syracuse. Unfortunately, he does have 4 walks, 2 hit batters, a wild pitch, and a balk in the early going.

With Garrett and Sulser, they do now have a pair of optional relievers. How long will Garrett’s success last and will they be able to squeeze anything out of Sulser? This isn’t a young bullpen by any means. Everyone in it is over 30 with Edwin Diaz most recently joining the quarter-life crisis club.

The Mets are running through relievers quickly, though. They’ll be able to shuffle through the deck more easily without sending anyone into DFA limbo as the rest of their relievers on the 40-man roster waiting in Syracuse do have options. In fact, the only guy remaining without any is Yacksel Rios. The club will probably look to him as more of a stable option in the future whereas Sulser is more of a temporary choice during this stretch of no days off.

It seems the lack of innings from the starters and even fewer days to recuperate for the bullpen arms has caused the front office to act swiftly with these bullpen changes. Tonkin and Ramirez made it easy, though. No one lives in a “what have you done for me lately” world more than the relief pitcher without minor league options.