What might be the most flawed Mets team of at least the last quarter-century — and that’s saying something when you consider the Art Howe era and the early years of Terry Collins’ regime — departed for the All-Star break Sunday night and shouldn’t bother returning.
Unfortunately, MLB mandates teams play 162 games, so fans will be subjected to another 2 ½ months of relatively meaningless baseball at Citi Field, as the Mets try to chart a course for the future.
Since they have to play these games, pushing aside as much dead wood as possible to signify a move forward would be a good place to start.
Three names that immediately come to mind: Jose Reyes, Jerry Blevins and Jason Vargas. All were relevant, even if just peripherally, as the Mets lost 6-1 to the Nationals to conclude the first half.
Reyes started for the eighth time in nine games, a head scratcher for sure, even with Todd Frazier on the disabled list. Blevins continued his horrid season by drilling two batters during a seventh-inning bullpen meltdown, and Vargas, the veteran lefty, remains in limbo after rookie Corey Oswalt gave the team a third straight acceptable start by holding the Nationals to one run over five innings.
It’s hard to fathom Reyes was still on the roster June 1, never mind July 15. The Mets need to move on and promote Jeff McNeil from Triple-A Las Vegas sooner rather than later, giving the team an injection of fresh blood that can audition for a role with the 2019 Mets.
At the very least Jose Bautista should be playing third base in Frazier’s absence, giving the Mets an opportunity to find out what they have in Dominic Smith, whose audition at first base has been blocked by Wilmer Flores’ hot bat. Smith can slot into the outfield with Bautista at third.
The Mets are clearly showcasing Flores for a potential trade, but don’t necessarily have to deal him as he remains under club control through next season. If the return in a trade isn’t going to upgrade the Mets in the bullpen for next season — think what the front office had in mind when AJ Ramos was acquired from the Marlins last year at the deadline — it probably would make sense to keep Flores, since it’s unlikely he would command a high-level prospect.
The lefty Blevins is pitching out the final months of his contract and has a limited trade value while he is still owed about $3 million. But that is a sunk cost at this point, so the Mets should eat the remaining salary and take whatever return they can receive for him.
As badly as Anthony Swarzak has pitched — his struggles continued Sunday when he walked the only two batters he faced — the right-hander still has another year remaining on his contract and has the oblique injury that cost him two months as an excuse.
The disappointing Vargas appears ready to return from the disabled list, but is there any upside to inserting him into the rotation at Oswalt’s expense?
“[Oswalt] has definitely opened some eyes and made decisions real tough,” manager Mickey Callaway said.
Vargas, who signed a two-year deal worth $16 million in the offseason, belongs in the bullpen for now, allowing Oswalt to receive additional looks.
Callaway, whose team is on pace to finish with 67 victories, was asked after Sunday’s game about a team goal for the second half.
“We have to come out and play the game in a better way, fundamentally, situationally, we have to be able to hit a sac fly to get that guy over to third,” Callaway said. “We have to be able to do all the small things it takes to win. I think our team can win games if we do the small things, but we have to really focus on those small things.”
Dumping or marginalizing the dead wood on the roster is another small thing that would help.