3 easiest Mets roster decisions for Billy Eppler this offseason
Being a Major League Baseball General Manager isn’t the easiest job in the world. Like any career, some choices are easy. Billy Eppler will have some tough decisions to make in building the New York Mets roster this offseason. He’ll also have some easy ones.
Eppler will be under a greater microscope this offseason. He had a strong showing in the winter between the 2021 and 2022 seasons. However, a rough trade deadline has many fans questioning his abilities.
In the category of subtracts and additions, Eppler should have no trouble making these three decisions.
1) Easy NY Mets roster decision: DFA Darin Ruf
Mets fans would drive Darin Ruf from Citi Field to Newark Airport on the week of Thanksgiving if they had to. His last name sums up his tenure with the ball club perfectly.
Ruf was beyond bad with the Mets in a specialized, part-time role. He didn’t hit a single home run—something the Mets expected him to do at least a few times against left-handed pitchers.
Eppler will need to bite the bullet on this midseason acquisition and make the most obvious decision of all to designate Ruf for assignment. Owed $3 million in 2023 with a team option and buyout for the 2024 campaign, this is pocket change for Steve Cohen to pay as the team moves on from one of the worst trade deadline additions the team has ever made.
Ruf’s time with the Mets was so bad that if Mark Vientos or Francisco Alvarez were hitting well enough near the very end of the year, we’d have to put existent odds on the team releasing him prior to the playoffs. Instead, we’ll have to wait a few more weeks before the inevitable occurs.
2) Easy NY Mets roster decision: Buyout Mychal Givens on his 2023 option
Another bad trade deadline addition made by Eppler can be corrected this offseason. Relief pitcher Mychal Givens was 1-1 with a 4.79 ERA for the team in 20.2 innings of work. As with any reliever, a bad appearance or two can completely ruin his numbers in such a small sample.
Givens does have a mutual option for next season. Rather than pick it up and hope for the best, the Mets should move on and buy him out for $1.5 million.
It’s not completely outrageous to believe Givens could turn things around for the better next year. He has been successful with multiple teams over the years including the Baltimore Orioles early on when Buck Showalter first got to know him.
When the Mets first acquired him, Givens was 6-2 with a 2.66 ERA in 40.2 innings of work for the Chicago Cubs. It wasn’t a bad move. Many fans did question it when he was the lone addition Eppler made to the bullpen.
There are tons of decisions the Mets have to make in regards to their bullpen this offseason. Bringing Givens back doesn’t seem like a wise one. Even at an affordable rate, the gamble on someone who we haven’t seen yet in blue and orange is better to take than someone we’ve already seen struggle with this ball club.
3) Easy NY Mets roster decision: Re-sign Brandon Nimmo
As far as retaining players goes, nobody is more obvious to re-sign than Brandon Nimmo. Jacob deGrom could ask for too much. Even Edwin Diaz, another guy the Mets need to prioritize, can be more easily replaced on this roster than Nimmo.
Nimmo has been a lifelong Mets player but that doesn’t mean he’ll be offering any hometown discounts. We should expect Nimmo to chase the best deal out there with Scott Boras as his agent.
The Mets will have a tough time replacing Nimmo if he does leave. Starling Marte played only five innings in center field for the Mets this past year. He’s not the answer. Nor is anyone else in free agency. Don’t even think about trying to find a solution via trade.
There will be a huge hole on the Mets roster without Nimmo on it. That’s the trouble with center fielders. There are so few ever available who can do the types of things he can. We can find replacements for other players about to hit free agency. For Nimmo, nobody is even close to him.
Don’t even dream of Aaron Judge signing with the Mets and being a sustainable answer in center field either. That’s the kind of move that only works in fantasy baseball when a guy plays enough innings somewhere else and becomes eligible for a place he’s not suited. It doesn’t hurt your fantasy team. It could become a problem for the real Mets. It’s also just not something we should expect.