3 NY Mets roster gambles that failed to hit the jackpot this year

2 of 3

This year’s New York Mets roster might be known for its price tag and the obvious transactions made to try to make them better. Retaining Edwin Diaz and Brandon Nimmo were no-brainers. Signing Justin Verlander to replace Jacob deGrom was the only natural action to take.

The Mets have, like everyone else, taken a few gambles with the roster. They gave players who may not have deserved an opportunity their chance.

Not too many of those riskier maneuvers have paid off. In fact, three Mets roster decisions stand out as gambles that came out red when the team was betting on black.

1) NY Mets roster gamble: Signing Gary Sanchez who never really seemed to have a future in Flushing

Wouldn’t it be nice to have Gary Sanchez on the Mets roster? With the benefit of hindsight, it would certainly be delightful. The team could carry him, Francisco Alvarez, and Omar Narvaez all at once. One could always DH. Another could catch. In the absence of Pete Alonso, we could even throw someone over at first base for a game. This is why the Mets need a crystal ball in their analytics department.

There was never any winning with the minor league signing of Sanchez. Alvarez had already earned his spot on the MLB roster. Narvaez was on his way back shortly before Sanchez’s opt-out was coming. The Mets decided to DFA Sanchez and allow Tomas Nido to find his way back onto the roster. Amazingly, both would get designated for assignment shortly after which practically erased the purpose of signing Sanchez in the first place.

This was a no-win type of move for the Mets who would have only benefitted from having Sanchez if he played well in a short period of time. Sanchez playing well would have required Alvarez to underperform. He would have eventually become trade bait regardless.

A gamble equivalent to asking the blackjack dealer to “hit you” when you’re already at 21, we can blame nothing more than poor timing for how this one worked itself out.

2) NY Mets roster gamble: Giving Stephen Nogosek as long of a leash as they did

The leashes on these Mets relievers must be retractable and broken. Stephen Nogosek got 25.2 innings of work across 13 games for the Mets prior to his recent DFA. He had about a 50/50 shot of making the team’s Opening Day roster. Several preseason injuries made the out of options reliever someone the team decided was worth keeping around if only to see what he could offer.

It wasn’t much. Nogosek went 0-1 with a 5.61 ERA for the team. He walked 14 batters and allowed 6 home runs. As a mop-up guy, Nogosek could’ve probably stuck around. The problem is the Mets have gambled with a few others in a similar role.

Notably, it’s Tommy Hunter, another recent DFA casualty, the Mets parted with as well. He had an even more miserable stay with the Mets. His 6.85 ERA in 23.2 innings of work trumps even what Nogosek gave them. He seemed like less of a gamble. With the need for some reliable starting pitching, it made sense why the Mets would choose to carry him from the onset of the season.

The Nogosek gamble was one the Mets were almost forced to make due to a lack of alternative bullpen options. What made it worsen was how long it lasted. Nogosek was clearly not going to turn things around. At least he helped eat up some innings on the days when Hunter had done the same a day before.

3) NY Mets roster gamble: The failed Tomas Nido contract extension

Signing Sanchez is understandable. Giving Nogosek a spot on the Opening Day roster is explainable. Handing out a contract extension to your backup catcher when he’s still arbitration eligible is throwing money away. The Mets will now pay Tomas Nido to essentially ride out his contract in the minor leagues. Another recent DFA, Nido managed to pass through the waiver wire before accepting an assignment to Triple-A Syracuse. It’s the best situation for the Mets who get to retain some catcher depth, but at what cost?

Nido won’t be coming back to the big leagues anytime soon. Because they’d have to DFA him all over again after adding him to the 40-man roster, it’s not a worthwhile trip to take if the need arises for a catcher. Michael Perez, a guy we saw called up prior to Sanchez this year, should be the one summoned to the major leagues next.

Nido hit only .125/.153/.125 for the Mets in his 61 plate appearances this season. A positive reputation as a defender after a year where he was a Gold Glove finalist helped earn him a $2.1 million deal for the 2024 season. It’s chump change for a man like Steve Cohen. It is, nevertheless, a strange gamble for the Mets to take when there was no necessity to extend him at all.

Perhaps this money is one of the reasons why Nido was able to pass through waivers. If so, it’s a low-key savvy move to keep around a catcher who might be able to have an impact on young pitchers and even Alvarez by sticking around the organization.

manual

Home / New York Mets News