Recent Mets roster casualty claimed off waivers by AL powerhouse

It was only a matter of time before Ben Gamel’s time with the New York Mets came to a close. Able to survive on the big league roster upon the arrival of Jesse Winker because the team was able to demote DJ Stewart, the rarely used veteran outfielder was DFA’d over the weekend with Starling Marte reclaiming the roster spot away from him.

Gamel appeared in 18 games for the Mets, receiving 30 plate appearances and going 5 for 23. He walked as many times as he struck out, 7. Coming from an impressive .314/.423/.538 slash line in 190 plate appearances at the Triple-A level, the Houston Astros thought enough of him to make a waiver claim.

The Ben Gamel minor league free agent signing by the Mets was one we never got to see unleashed

The Triple-A numbers were quite spectacular yet the situation for Gamel to have a truly impactful stint with the Mets never presented itself. It’s a bit unbelievable how little use the Mets had for him. In the era of the universal DH when everyone has a four man bench, it’s easier to hide players like him on the bench unused gathering dust or that weird fluffy white stuff on blueberries.

Gamel made his debut for the Mets on June 26. He’d hardly play a full game, logging only three in the month of July and two more in August. Often summoned from the bench to pinch run, he attempted only a single stolen base and was successful.

With the way the Mets have managed many of their position players, it is curious to see him get less playing time than he did. Reverse splits for Harrison Bader and Tyrone Taylor didn’t make him as strong of a consideration to play against righties. The addition of Winker eliminated him from playing time more so. He wouldn’t see action in August until the 7th of the month.

Not every minor league free agent signing will be a winner. In this instance, it seemed to be a successful one without much purpose. No one is at fault. The Mets have better options in the outfield. Gamel was simply an odd fit for a team that didn’t really have the playing time available.

Joining the Astros has its perks. The AL West leader, no thanks to the Mets who let the Seattle Mariners think they had a chance, can find some at-bats for Gamel. Unfortunately, without minor league options remaining, there’s a chance we could see Gamel on the waiver wire yet again and in a third MLB uniform by the time we get through the 2024 season.