Over recent years, the Mets have shown a willingness to play a man down on their bench. The causes have varied. We saw earlier this year they played down a man while the waited to see if Steven Matz needed a DL stint. Other times, it’s been to call up a spot starter as they skipped a spot in their rotation to conserve the innings of a young hurler.
The Mets are now faced with a similar short bench situation as Lucas Duda is dealing with back issues and has seen his availability waver on a day-by-day basis. While the Mets have been able to get by in the past in situations like these, things are different in 2016. The main cause for the difference is David Wright. When Wright has an off day, he is rarely available to pinch hit. That means when the Mets are already playing a man down, they essentially have a 23-man roster on those days.
To see how this has a direct effect on the team, let’s look back to the May 15 game against Colorado. The Mets had a short bench that day as they were still awaiting word on Matz’s status. That game was also one in which the team gave an off day to Wright. In the eighth inning of that game, the Mets trailed 4-3 and had runners on 1st and 2nd base with 1 out. Duda was due to bat with a lefty on the mound.
This would appear to be the perfect time for the Mets to pinch hit. It’s probably their best chance to tie the game, and Duda is 1-for-25 against lefties this season. However, Duda was forced to bat in this situation. That’s because the game was an off day for Wright, which meant Eric Campbell was playing third base. In an ideal world, Wright could pinch hit, stay in the game and shift Campbell to first base. However, the Mets rightfully would not ask Wright to play the field on a scheduled off day because it could jeopardize his long-term health. So instead, the Mets have no options left on their bench. The result: an inning-ending double play for Duda.
Furthermore, manager Terry Collins brought in Jeurys Familia in the bottom of the eighth inning of that game (a strange decision in its own right considering the team was trailing on the road). With the pitcher scheduled to bat fourth that inning, the natural move would be to double switch, but the Mets couldn’t do that because once again they could not take Duda out of the game because of a lack of options on their bench.
In the ninth inning, the Mets were forced to hit for Familia with Wright. Whether it is related or just purely coincidence, Wright’s back was aching two days later, and the Mets had to sit him in the first game of the Nationals series.
The bottom line is that with the fragile state of Wright and his ever-changing availability on a day-to-day basis, the Mets need roster flexibility. They simply cannot afford to roll the dice and play a man down on their bench because a Wright off day means they are playing two men down. In a division race that appears poised to be a dogfight to the finish, the Mets cannot put themselves at a disadvantage.
So with Duda, the Mets have to do one of two things: 1) put him on the DL even if he might not need 15 days off; or 2) send down a pitcher. When the Mets play down a man on their bench, they are making it tougher on themselves to win and potentially putting Wright into dangerous situations. It’s just not worth the risk.
