These 3 Mets are in the most danger of losing their roster spot before Opening Day

Jul 13, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a New York Mets hat and glove in the dugout
Jul 13, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a New York Mets hat and glove in the dugout / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 3
Next

2) NY Mets reliever Stephen Nogosek remains only a bullpen contender

Stephen Nogosek is still in the bullpen conversation for Opening Day. Although not a Rule 5 Draft pick, his lack of minor league options makes him a roster bubble guy. He’ll be on the verge of getting designated for assignment from the start in a similar manner as Chasen Shreve last year.

Nogosek pitched very well for the Mets last season—both the New York and Syracuse versions. It looks like he finally found his groove after several years of never really standing out in the minors for this ball club.

Aside from Greene, the biggest competition Nogosek could have is Tommy Hunter. The veteran reliever isn’t even on the 40-man roster at the moment, but could win out. The smarter move would probably be to take Nogosek over Hunter whose recent injury history could leave the Mets with no pitchers at all. At least carrying Nogosek into Opening Day means there is a backup plan that would include Hunter and several other relievers.

The Mets could also view Nogosek’s lack of options as problematic. It could be hard to go the whole season with him on the roster. Do they pull the plug early on or see how long they can ride his successful 2022 season? I’d grab a saddle for as long as he performs well this spring and delay saying goodbye. He's worth a closer look in games that matter.