5 best candidates to call up when rosters expand in September

4) NY Mets can use Khalil Lee or Nick Plummer in a specialized role

We didn’t see the Mets use Khalil Lee or Nick Plummer all that much this year. Their only action on the MLB roster was out of necessity. Neither cracked the Opening Day roster. For most of 2022, they’ve sat in Triple-A awaiting a promotion.

The similarities between these two are striking. Both left-handed hitting outfielders with speed and capable of playing center field, maybe the Mets end up viewing them as a pair of pinch runners to consider.

The Mets wouldn’t promote them both. Having them together is like carrying Travis Jankowski and Ender Inciarte. Who would ever do that at the same time?

Neither has had a good year in Triple-A which could mean the Mets aim at what they need most. Whichever they deem to be the better defensive player or base runner might win out if this is the direction they choose.

Because these roster spots are extra, they don’t need to ever get an at-bat. We could still see the occasional spot start. They remain prospects for the ball club but are on the brink of sliding down most lists after this season.

Promoting either of them feels like a better option than Smith. There are only so many at-bats to get. Lee and Plummer can give the team mad dashes from first to third or close out some frames on defense. There is space for them in a limited capacity this September.