ST. LOUIS — Mets players receive lineups the night before their next game, but Harrison Bader doesn’t check them until he gets to the ballpark, worried that not having his name on them will affect his sleep. .
On Monday, he received a personal message from manager Carlos Mendoza informing him that he would not start the next night and that the veteran outfielder would be on the bench for the second straight game.
Bader understands the Mets are a crowded scene, but at the same time he expected a bigger role when he signed a one-year deal worth $10 million with the team last offseason.
“I’m not handling it well, I can tell you that,” Bader said before the Mets played the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. “But I never let that affect how I prepare and how I stay focused when I get a chance to go out and play, even late in the game. , that’s like lighting a fire under my butt. It certainly bothers me, doesn’t it?
“But I respect that they think they’re going to give us a chance to win, and at the same time I’m prepared to play every day of the season whether my name is on it or not. ing.”
On this night, Mendoza opted for a lineup that included DJ Stewart in left field, Brandon Nimmo shifted to center field, and Starling Marte in right field.
The night before, Jeff McNeil started in left field and shifted Nimmo to center field.
Mendoza also uses outfielder Tyrone Taylor, whose performance early in the season helped strengthen the batting lineup.
Bader appeared in 29 games and 103 at-bats, hitting .286/.320/.347 with one home run and seven RBIs.
Tuesday marked the fourth time in eight games that he was left out of the starting lineup.
“It’s definitely been a challenge, not what I expected, but that’s life,” Bader said of the reduced playing time. “But adjustability is about availability. That’s what I’ve always been taught. So I just stay in the pocket and hope that I’m given the opportunity to do something good for my teammates. I’m waiting. That’s what I care about.”
Bader, who was signed primarily to play defense, said he respects the team leadership’s decision, but it doesn’t make it any easier for him.
“I want to win, but I also want to play,” Bader said. “Everyone wants to play, but it’s difficult. We have a lot of players and we respect the position that everyone is in. … I don’t know who’s in the lineup, but… , whatever happens to us, I will respect that position.”
Bader declined to say whether he was given specific parameters regarding playing time before signing with the club.
“Those details were exchanged between me and my agent,” Bader said. “[The Mets] They wanted me to play, they wanted me to play center, so they came after me. Let’s see how it changes. It’s been a long year, but I’m trained for it. ”
Mendoza said he spoke with Bader last weekend about staying focused on the big picture.
“Bader is a big part of this team in center field,” Mendoza said. “But you can make a case for a lot of guys. We’re trying to get Taylor and Stewart in there, so it’s more to do with matchups and that’s where we’re at and we still have a long way to go.” There’s a way to go. That’s some of the conversations I’ve had with them. I know they’re not happy about it because they all want to play.
“It’s not like Vader is doing anything. You could sue all three of them,” Mendoza said, also referring to Taylor and Stewart. “It’s good to have some healthy competition. After all, I’m going to be using all 26 players on the roster.”
