How will Ronny Mauricio be replaced on the New York Mets roster?
On top of an old burial ground, Citi Field was constructed. The New York Mets can only be explained in this way. Ronny Mauricio tore his ACL, and while his recovery time is unknown, it isn’t looking good. It is now expected that the Mets will seek outside assistance.
This deviates from the Mets’ original plan. There was going to be a spring competition between Mauricio, Brett Baty, and possibly Mark Vientos and someone else, which would carry over into the regular season. The Mets will apparently try to find someone to compete for starts rather than just give Baty the third base job.
After Matt Chapman, who won’t play any innings at third base, there aren’t many options for third base. How can the Mets get Mauricio back on the roster?
Suddenly, Justin Turner makes more sense than before
Already, Justin Turner made sense as the team’s designated hitter. They ought to make Mauricio their top pick in light of the recent developments. Even though he didn’t play third base much last season, having him on the roster can give them a little extra insurance in case Baty gets hurt or isn’t trustworthy enough.
The Mets could actually sign Turner and another player on this list if they so desired. How they feel about Vientos and some of the other optional players they currently have may have a big impact. The Mets having just four outfielders at the start of the season is not absurd. There’s already Jeff McNeil ready to go whenever it’s needed.
Why it works: Turner can start once or twice a week at third base and once more at first base, allowing Pete Alonso to spend one day at second base. For the Mets, having Joey Wendle on hand provides defensive insurance in the event that Turner truly is at the point in his career where his offensive ability is his only asset. Turner isn’t interfering with the other players on the team on a one- or two-year contract either. He shown he’s still got it. Since the Mets can also add one of these other players to the roster if they see an opening, there aren’t really any cons to this one.
The Mets should definitely consider trading for Miguel Rojas.
Miguel Rojas is no longer a starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Could the team try to trade their backup infielder to the New York Yankees, as they have already done with players to free up 40-man roster spots?
Rojas played for the Miami Marlins for the majority of his career, eventually working his way up to the starting lineup. Though he is more of a shortstop, he has at least produced strong defensive career numbers at the hot corner. Hopefully, the shift won’t be too drastic.
The Dodgers may only be paying a portion of Rojas’ salary in exchange for cash considerations in a trade for him. If the Mets ask nicely, they should be able to acquire Rojas, an affordable defense-first infielder, for $5.75 million more in 2024, with a $1 million buyout the following year.
Why it doesn’t work: Wendle is already on the Mets roster, and Rojas hasn’t hit well the past two seasons, registering a batting average of.236 for the Marlins and Dodgers. For these reasons, I’m not convinced about his place on the team. He works for the Mets because he isn’t the type of player who would choose to join the team and would therefore anticipate more playing time. The Dodgers’ willingness to part with him is another requirement. Even though nearly $6 million is almost triple what they will pay Shohei Ohtani, it won’t bankrupt them.
David Stearns will probably sign or trade for a player whose name we have to look up. Working with J.D. Davis was a breeze. This year, who would be game for some Rylan Bannon at third base?
Leave a Reply