3 Mets roster decisions from spring training we wish were reversed

3) The Mets should have kept Austin Adams stashed in the minor leagues

The most perplexing of all was the trading of Austin Adams to the Oakland Athletics for cash considerations. Adams wasn’t particularly good in spring training but would manage 13 strikeouts in only 6.2 innings of work for his time with the Mets and A’s. It negates the 5.40 ERA in such a small sample size.

Adams signed a split contract this offseason and had already passed through waivers so the urgency to take any action with him wasn’t there. Coming off of an unimpressive 17.1 innings with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Mets sent him to MLB Siberia and he has been pretty terrific ever since.

Adams has continued to strike batters out at a high rate—an ability he has held throughout his career. Through 4.2 innings and 7 games, he has fanned 7 already without an earned run charged against him. To nobody’s surprise, he has already hit a pair of batters. His record 24 from 2021 could be in danger of falling.

Why the Mets didn’t do this

Unless there was an opt out in his contract, this makes little sense. The Mets have already had to turn to their relief depth and to have a guy like Adams available would’ve been a treat. There was never a way for him to make the Opening Day roster. Stashing him in Syracuse instead would’ve been the right play.

Perhaps this was another case of David Stearns trying to make friends. Knowing the Athletics will be sellers already, handing them a pitcher they could use is something we hope they don’t forget when the time comes to trade their next Matt Olson or Sean Murphy.