The Mets are offering recent trade acquisition a fair chance to stay on the roster

Jeff McNeil has sat in back-to-back games against a left-handed starting pitcher. It’s a clear message to McNeil to start hitting more line drives. And if he took it a different way, he merely needs to hear New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza explain it plainly.

McNeil’s roster spot isn’t in major jeopardy at the moment even if Jose Iglesias is hitting extremely well since his promotion. Another Mets player, whom we thought was safe, might not be quite as secure. Recent trade acquisition Luis Torrens has now appeared in two straight games for the Mets. His two-out, two-run double for the Mets on Monday was his first for the orange and blue. Add in a 1 for 1 in throwing out attempted base stealers, he isn’t off to such a horrendous start.

In the absence of Francisco Alvarez which might only last through their London trip, the team may mix and match Torrens and Tomas Nido a little more than expected. Logically, Torrens was just a temporary replacement for Omar Narvaez. Strategically, the Mets might prefer to go a different direction.

So far, the Mets have given Luis Torrens a fair chance to stay on the team as the backup

Torrens has started in the past. In 2021 with the Seattle Mariners, Torrens appeared in 108 games and even managed to blast 15 home runs. It did come with only a .243 batting average and .299 OBP. However, this is about the ceiling we could hope to see out of Nido minus the home run frequency.

More important than the offensive output is how Torrens handles himself defensively. Pitch framing, game-calling, and keeping runners honest on the bases are all things Torrens needs to show. The last was put on display against, of all people, Jesse Winker.

When Alvarez is eligible to return, the Mets will be forced to DFA Nido or Torrens. Doing so to Nido for the second straight season might actually be the call to make if they’re a fan of Torrens. If selected on waivers, the remainder of Nido’s $2.1 million salary would go with him. Pocket change in some ways, it’s still quite a lot of money for a backup catcher who doesn’t do a whole lot of consistent hitting. Most teams would pass on him again. Torrens, at league minimum, is more enticing.

Torrens will get at least one of the starts in London. Every hit. Every thrown out base runner. Every compliment from a pitcher will go a long way.

Choosing between backup catchers is hardly the biggest one the Mets have going for them at the moment. Deciding who does the tightrope walk to begin the ninth inning on the mound for them is where the impossible choices lie.