1 significant Mets roster move to anticipate before playing the Giants

Before the New York Mets return to Citi Field on Friday, we could see a significant roster move. Sending down a relief pitcher for a fresh arm isn’t as significant as it is expected. The end of Adrian Houser, while significant in its own way, may also take place but that’s not the one to discuss here.

Ever since the Mets DFA’d Joey Wendle, they’ve been working with a unique roster where they don’t have a single backup option at shortstop or second base. Brett Baty is the emergency choice. The problem is it forces Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil into every inning. Something has to give and based on how poorly Baty has played and how well Mark Vientos is doing at the plate, it might be time for a change.

Has the time come for the Mets to demote Brett Baty?

Baty has seen his playing time drastically reduced. It’s not a surprise with Vientos on the roster. The purpose was to help kick start the offense and since being recalled, Vientos has been one of the hottest hitters on the Mets.

Meanwhile, Baty is watching from the bench and when he is in the game, not contributing a whole lot. Down to a .228/.295/.316 slash line this season, the irony of it is while Vientos is playing much better, the Mets haven’t won a game he has started all year. Their last two wins came with Baty as the starting third baseman. It’s a small sample yet telling of how wasteful it has been to have Vientos on the team performing well and not coming away with wins from it.

The move to make would be to send Baty down and recall Jose Iglesias. The veteran is batting .288/.322/.475 with 7 home runs and 25 RBI in Syracuse. On Wednesday, he went 3 for 5 with 4 runs batted in. Included was a two-run home run.

The Mets have room on their 40-man roster. Two spots, in fact. One will go to David Peterson once activated from the 60-day IL. The other could go to Iglesias in an attempt to give the Mets a better-rounded roster. Although they have an off-day on Thursday, the team will play 10 straight at home after. Jeff McNeil managed to knock two home runs in Cleveland while logging every inning for the Mets since Joey Wendle was sent away. For a team that has regularly sat starters and benefitted from mixing in their bench players, it’d be peculiar for them to continue on without at least giving McNeil a day or even a few innings off. 

Vientos has held his own against righties, going 3 for 13 with a home run in his limited opportunities against them. He has pulverized the lefties, starting off 7 for 15 against them. The defense hasn’t been overly impressive, but the same could be said about nearly the entire roster.