September Call-Ups: Who Gets the Nod?

Rosters expand from 26 players to up to 28 players on September 1 as teams hit the home stretch of the Wild Card race. The Mets will be fresh off a 10-game stretch against the Orioles, Padres, and Diamondbacks—the latter two who are a couple games ahead of the Mets in NL Wild Card spots—when the first of the month hits, so let’s look at who the Mets could call up.

We’ll start with pitching.

As Rosters Expand… So Will the Bullpen

As rosters expand, teams can only have up to 14 pitchers. The Mets have 13 pitchers on their active roster, leaving room for one more. However, the Mets are about to have an excess of pitchers with little room for optioning guys.

Dedniel Núñez is on the mend and is expected back in the next couple of days. It’s possible Núñez returns from the IL and the Mets option a player or cut ties with Adam Ottavino. José Butto, Huascar Brazoban, Reed Garrett and Danny Young all have at least one option. Young feels like the easiest to send down, but then the bullpen wouldn’t have lefties.

Then, once September 1 rolls around, the Mets could recall whomever they option. (Reed Garrett could probably use some time gaining his command back.)

The Mets also have Sean Reid-Foley trying to come back from a shoulder impingement, but his rehab was shut down last week. If he regains his health, he’s another arm they can be flexible with.

Prediction: In the next couple of days, the Mets will activate Dedniel Núñez and send Reed Garrett down to Triple-A. Then, he’ll be recalled as rosters expand. However, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Mets cut Ottavino when Núñez comes back and then leave the September call-up to be Reid-Foley (if he can return healthy) or Grant Hartwig, who’s pitched to a 3.60 ERA in Triple-A this year.

The sleeper/fan favorite pick is top pitching prospect Brandon Sproat, who could really energize the bullpen in the last month of the year.

Who Will Join the Bench?

The call-up debate gets interesting when it comes to the bench. Triple-A is loaded with options. Let’s look at a couple:

• Brett Baty: Despite his hot-and-cold streaks, Baty is slashing .259/.356/.528/.885 with 16 homers in 247 plate appearances in Triple-A. He’s walking in 12% of his PAs, and he’s also gotten plenty of run at second base, expanding his versatility.
• Luke Ritter: Purely on performance, no one deserves a call-up more than Ritter. The 27-year-old is slashing .266/.376/.511/.887 with 45 extra-base hits (23 homers) this year. He can play both corner outfield spots, third, and second. The Mets are loaded with right-handed hitters, though, which may be why he hasn’t gotten a call already.
• Eddie Rosario: The Mets signed Rosario to a minor-league deal after he was cut by both the Nationals and Braves this year. It hasn’t gone great in Syracuse—much like his performance in the majors this year—but the Mets signed him as depth. There’s a chance they give him some level of run in the majors as someone with experience in a late-season. He also has solid defensive flexibility. I don’t see that as likely, though.
• Jackie Bradley Jr.: JBJ started his year on the Long Island Ducks, then the Mets signed him and sent him upstate. He’s shown some pop in Long Island and Syracuse, and the defense is still there. But the Mets currently have five outfielders on the roster—plus Jeff McNeil. If he comes up, he’d likely only be a late-inning defensive replacement, and that doesn’t seem like the kind of player who’d initially get the call.

DJ Stewart (previously had plenty of run with the Mets) and Luisangel Acuña (speed, baby!) are long shots. These kinds of players would almost certainly be called up if MLB ever returned to the September roster expansion they allowed in the past.

Prediction: I think Brett Baty will return to the MLB roster. He’s improved his versatility with the ability to play second, he’s a left-handed bat, which the bench needs, and he’s spent the summer course correcting in Syracuse. If not now, when would he get the call?

 

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