The Mets made one of their opening rosters official on Wednesday and were scheduled to spend the afternoon discussing potential final trades before the season begins.
Manager Carlos Mendoza announced that the Mets have informed DJ Stewart that he has joined the team, solidifying the slots of designated hitter, outfielder and possibly backup first baseman.
Stewart, likely to be the Opening Day DH, was a rare bright spot for the club last year, earning a call-up and appearing in the final two months of the season, posting an .840 OPS.
The 30-year-old was quiet this spring, batting just .175 in the Grapefruit League, but he issued enough walks (seven innings) to post a .340 on-base percentage.
Although the Mets had enough talent to bring him to Citi Field, there were still questions about whether he would be on the roster or whether the Mets would add players from the outside.
“The left-handed bat, the power, the way he controls the strike zone,” Mendoza said of Stewart, crediting Stewart’s defensive versatility with building the club as well.
Stewart still has an option to go to the minor leagues, which could happen once J.D. Martinez is ready.
The group of position players is clearer, but there are still clouds in the bullpen.
The Mets have two spots left in their bullpen and brought three capable relief pitchers to Queens.
The Mets won’t have options on three right-handers in Johan Ramirez, Sean Reid-Foley and Michael Tonkin, but all three have performed well in the Grapefruit League.
Ramirez allowed two runs in 10 innings in the spring, Reed-Foley has the best strikeout ability, and Tonkin has a reputation for the length to get several innings at a time.
“Once I’m done here, we’ll talk some more,” Mendoza said at an afternoon news conference.
Kodai Chiga, who has been out of pitching since late February, resumed pitching in Port St. Lucie on Monday and played catch again in the Citi Field outfield on Wednesday.
The Mets ace has been diagnosed with a moderate tear to the posterior capsule of his right shoulder, and Mendoza said he is on an alternate-day schedule.
Typically, starting pitchers require at least six weeks to fully strengthen, allowing them to debut at least as early as late May.
Martinez, who wasn’t officially signed until Saturday, will spend at least the first 10 days of the season batting elsewhere before being optioned by the Mets.
The veteran DH is still in Port St. Lucie and plans to be there “for the next week or so,” Mendoza said.
Mendoza said Martinez primarily plays against the minor league Mets, but he did come to bat against Adrian Hauser on Tuesday, as Hauser remained there for the build-up and pitched six innings. he said.
After Martinez missed most of spring training, Mendoza plans to discuss with his agency whether he needs more at-bats in St. Lucie after the 10-day season has passed, the minimum length of stay for the minor league option that allows for adjustments. That’s what he said.
He could be optioned for the series in Atlanta starting April 8.
