3 roster improvements to help make the Mets World Series favorites

The Mets need a bench player that can hit

Unfortunately, any plans of J.D. Davis and Dominic Smith giving the Mets a pair of dangerous bats off the bench seem to be evaporating. Each has struggled in their own ways this season. Maybe the lack of frequent and consistent playing time has harmed them. If so, it’s hard to justify starting them more often when they aren’t even hitting in the opportunities they do get.

Building a bench can be difficult because if a guy is good enough he should be starting. Finding the right bench pieces often involves searching for role-players rather than someone who can play 5 or 6 times a week like the most optimistic of fans believed Davis and Smith could.

The Mets do have a guy like this already on their bench. Travis Jankowski is the perfect role player. His early success with the team will probably fade but as a defensive replacement and pinch-running option, he should manage to stay with the club.

The Mets do need a little more offense from their bench. Is there a Lenny Harris or a Matt Stairs out there? What about a Rusty Staub redux—a veteran near the end of his career simply looking for the occasional spot start or pinch-hitting opportunity?

With the Mets getting barely anything out of the catcher spot on offense, it could help to have a professional hitter available to step up to the plate in a big situation late in the game. Even if the guy is a defensive liability and moves like he’s dragging Yadier Molina sitting on a tire behind him, it’s a piece to this roster the team needs to search for.