The New York Mets might welcome back Reed Garrett and Sean Reid-Foley this week. The roster has changed significantly since their last appearances, now featuring a mix of veteran and inexperienced pitchers, leading to less available space. Unfortunately, both Garrett and Reid-Foley performed poorly in their Double-A rehab assignments on Sunday.
The Mets have taken a cutthroat approach to roster management this year, swiftly replacing underperforming players. Recently, Jake Diekman and Adrian Houser were removed from the team. With Garrett and Reid-Foley returning, the Mets will need to decide who to replace. Garrett has minor league options and has been one of their top relievers, but Reid-Foley doesn’t, so someone will inevitably be bumped off the roster. The question is, who will it be?
1) The doesn’t deserve it but that’s the business buddy demotion candidate, Alex Young
Lefty Alex Young was a strategic acquisition by the Mets well before the trade deadline chaos began. The team’s expectations for him remain consistent with how they’ve already utilized him. He’ll be familiar with both Flushing and Syracuse.
Young is seemingly the second option among the left-handed pitchers, ranking behind Danny Young but ahead of Matt Gage. His limited use suggests the Mets’ current lack of full trust in him. To gain their confidence, he’ll need to perform well whenever given the opportunity.
However, even if he impresses with a hot streak or strikes out a top player to end a game, his spot on the roster isn’t guaranteed. Young is part of the Mets roster for freshness and as a potential upgrade over what Diekman was supposed to offer.
While he might not warrant a demotion based on performance, it would be a practical move for the roster.
2) The unfortunate demotion candidate we’d like to see more from before rushing to judgment, Huascar Brazoban
Huascar Brazoban remains a solid trade deadline addition despite his meltdown in his second appearance. His impressive Mets debut suggests it’s too early to panic. One of the key advantages of acquiring Brazoban from the Miami Marlins is that, despite being nearly 35 years old, he still has all three of his minor league options left. Team control is highly valued by general managers, similar to how Jason Adam was traded by the Tampa Bay Rays to the San Diego Padres for a significant return.
Brazoban’s position in the Mets bullpen is far from secure. With the option to send him to the minor leagues, especially with two pitchers returning from injury, the temptation is strong. His stint in the minors doesn’t have to be lengthy. Like Alex Young, Brazoban could become part of the continuous cycle of players moving between Triple-A and the majors.
Brazoban’s performance with the Marlins was too impressive to dismiss him after one bad inning, which ideally should have been managed better by the team.
Sending Brazoban down would allow the Mets to keep Danny Young on the roster, maintaining at least one lefty—assuming Alex Young is also sent to the minors.
If this isn’t the chosen pairing, the Mets have only one other realistic option.
3) The Mets pitcher we’ve grown tired of seeing and should maybe think about DFA’ing, Adam Ottavino
Adam Ottavino struggled to complete his inning on Saturday, and Carlos Mendoza has been using him in less critical situations lately. Since giving up 2 earned runs in the 8th inning against the Washington Nationals on July 9th, Ottavino hasn’t been used in clear high-leverage spots late in games. His sixth-inning appearance against the New York Yankees on July 23rd was his closest, where he allowed as many runs as outs he recorded—one. This might evoke songs by Metallica, U2, and Harry Nilsson, though it’s doubtful Ottavino intended such a tribute.
Designating Ottavino for assignment would be a bold move, but it may not be the most sensible after Brazoban’s recent performance. Ottavino’s standing with the Mets is currently low. He is still on the roster, but mainly used in games that are already decided. Sunday’s appearance was one of his more significant outings in recent weeks.
For Ottavino to be cut, several players would need to consistently outperform him over a longer period. His presence on the roster into August indicates that the team still has some faith in him—or perhaps a lack of confidence in some of the newcomers.