Mets roster newcomers: 1 to keep, 1 to send far away, 1 worth debating

After a trade deadline sale, it might feel like the first day of high school. You recognize a few kids from eighth grade. Plenty more are brand new to you. The New York Mets went through this over the summer when several newcomers joined the roster.

The playing time many of these guys have received was originally out of necessity. Someone had to take those at-bats or pitch those innings. Many won’t be back while some could show the Mets enough to remain.

Sorting through those newcomers to the roster, we find one worth keeping, one to send far away, and one whose status with the team is still up for debate.

NY Mets should keep DJ Stewart around in, at the very least, a bench role

DJ Stewart has been one of the reasons to watch the Mets these last few weeks. He isn’t having an overachieving stretch of baseball. He’s having the kind of performance we’d accept from just about anyone at any level of experience as long as we’re not constrained to keeping him in the starting lineup. As good as Stewart has been for the Mets, we’d all prefer to not push him into a starting role unless absolutely necessary.

This isn’t to diminish what Stewart has accomplished. A first-round draft pick by the Baltimore Orioles, there was clearly some untapped potential in his bat. For whatever reason, Stewart has figured it out over this short period of time in New York.

With a minor league option left as well, the Mets have some roster flexibility by choosing him over any number of other external options. They can always demote him next year if they find a better choice.