Ranking the 5 options the Mets have when rosters go from 28 to 26

4) The Mets should DFA Travis Jankowski

Travis Jankowski is a good problem for the Mets to have. He was the extra position player they opened the season with. Because he can play defense well in the outfield and has actually hit, the Mets have to consider keeping him around.

Unfortunately, he lacks minor league options. This means the team would have to designate him for assignment and risk losing him on waivers. Even if he did pass through, he’d have to later be added back to the 40-man roster with another transaction.

Whether or not Jankowski would pass through waivers is unknown. Given how well he has played, he probably wouldn’t.

Jankowski isn’t someone who should necessarily back the Mets into a corner with their roster decisions. He’s a solid fifth outfielder.

The issue they face is the lack of defensive abilities from Davis and Smith in the outfield. Jeff McNeil has been able to get into the mix often this season, but moving him away from second base opens up a bigger hole for the club. More on that later!

It would be a tough luck situation for Jankowski to play this well for the Mets only to see him lose his job. Something to keep in mind: he was never meant to play this well. Realistically, there may only be one way for him to stick around.

3) The Mets should trade J.D. Davis or Dominic Smith

Do I expect it? Not at all. The value these two have isn’t any greater than it was in the offseason and preseason—if they were really much different this year. The Mets never were able to find a trade they liked enough to make it. And if they were to strike a deal, the only one they could make would be for minor league players. Otherwise, the Mets are right back to where they are at the moment with too many players for a roster about to get smaller.

This option only goes ahead of DFA’ing Jankowski if the deal is a good one and makes sense. A quality package of minor leaguers is what it would take and I just can’t imagine any team out there willing to give up much for either of these players.

The Mets have a target on their back. It was already the case in the offseason. It’s growing with how well they have played. Nobody will want to do them any favors. If they can put a roster crunch on the club, the other 29 teams will consider it a victory.

Even if there’s some sort of injury that occurs, unless it’s season-ending, it’s going to be impossible for this roster to have everyone we want. What about the one(s) we don’t?

2) The Mets should release Robinson Cano but that won’t happen

Imagine the frenzy if the Mets do the smart and best move and release Robinson Cano. Steve Cohen might get a statue immediately funded by the fans.

Because Cano was able to make it onto the Opening Day roster and the organization has shown no signs of releasing him, it’s hard to imagine. Regardless of how poorly he performs or how ill-fitting he is either at second base or DH, the end of Cano will not come to fruition until his contract runs out or he voluntarily retires.

Cano has not been able to piece together much success this season even with Buck Showalter continually writing his name on the lineup cards. It hasn’t killed the team yet. It may, however, have led to slow starts from Davis and Smith—the two best candidates on the club to replace him regularly at the DH spot.

Many Mets fans would rank this a number one priority. If that’s you, I get it. He has been frustrating from the start. And to then learn his success in 2020 may have been tainted due to PED use, there’s a lack of trust in his character.

Above Cano, there is one better roster move to make. It’s also probably going to happen.

1) The Mets should DFA Sean Reid-Foley

It’s as inevitable as Thanos. The DFA Fairy is coming for Sean Reid-Foley. Previously viewed as a potential multi-inning, high-leverage option for the Mets similar to Seth Lugo, those days feel like years ago when really they sprung up around last May when we were first introduced to SRF.

Reid-Foley is one of two long man options for the Mets this season. Alongside the more seasoned Trevor Williams, he seems like the much weaker choice to continue on with. He hasn’t pitched well for the Mets and doesn’t seem destined to either.

Where someone like Williams can bring experience (and he also costs more), Reid-Foley is only about potential. He hasn’t shown nearly enough. Designating him for assignment would come only weeks after the team had already done the same to Yennsy Diaz, one of the other pitchers the team acquired in the Steven Matz trade with the Toronto Blue Jays. While some pieces acquired in trades may get longer leashes, Reid-Foley’s time is ticking away quickly.

Someone could always get “injured” suddenly and the questions as to which two players won’t be on the roster are temporarily resolved. However, a return from the IL puts the club back to where they were: in a tight spot with some goodbye cards handy.