MIAMI, FLORIDA – MARCH 31: Tim Locastro #26 of the New York Mets looks on prior to a game against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on March 31, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
We’re barely into the month of April, but these three New York Mets players will not be part of the active roster once the calendar flips to May.
The New York Mets Opening Day roster offered some surprises, with one of the biggest ones being the
absence of Justin Verlander
. The former Cy Young Award-winner was placed on the Injured just before the first pitch on Opening Day.
But a team’s Opening Day roster is just that, a roster for one day. Oftentimes, spring training yields results that might favor a player because he no longer has minor-league options or the player that normally fields his position is on the IL.
The New York Mets roster today is unlikely to be the same in a little less than a month. Who are three Mets players that are unlikely to be part of the roster by May 1st?
1. NY Mets roster: Tim Locastro will not be part of the roster by May 1
Tim Locastro was one of the last players to make the New York Mets roster, so it would stand to reason that he’ll be one of the first to go. Locastro gives the Mets a right-handed hitting option opposite the left-handed hitting Brandon Nimmo, but that’s about it.
Locastro has carved out a nice major league career, and his speed combined his an above-average glove makes him a fine addition as the 26th man on a team. But with the talented pair of Mark Vientos and Brett Baty down on the farm, one has to think that it’s only a matter of time before Locastro is sent on his way.
Tim Locastro is out of minor league options, so the New York Mets would have to designate the 30-year-old for assignment in order to remove him from the roster. Locastro is filling a similar role to what Travis Jankowski provided in 2022, but it’s time to let the young players make their home in the Big Apple.
absence of Justin Verlander</a>. The former Cy Young Award-winner was placed on the Injured just before the first pitch on Opening Day.</p>
<p>But a team’s Opening Day roster is just that, a roster for one day. Oftentimes, spring training yields results that might favor a player because he no longer has minor-league options or the player that normally fields his position is on the IL.</p>
<p>The New York Mets roster today is unlikely to be the same in a little less than a month. Who are three Mets players that are unlikely to be part of the roster by May 1st?</p>
<h2>1. NY Mets roster: Tim Locastro will not be part of the roster by May 1</h2>
<p>Tim Locastro was one of the last players to make the New York Mets roster, so it would stand to reason that he’ll be one of the first to go. Locastro gives the Mets a right-handed hitting option opposite the left-handed hitting Brandon Nimmo, but that’s about it.</p>
<p>Locastro has carved out a nice major league career, and his speed combined his an above-average glove makes him a fine addition as the 26th man on a team. But with the talented pair of Mark Vientos and Brett Baty down on the farm, one has to think that it’s only a matter of time before Locastro is sent on his way.</p>
<p>Tim Locastro is out of minor league options, so the New York Mets would have to designate the 30-year-old for assignment in order to remove him from the roster. Locastro is filling a similar role to what Travis Jankowski provided in 2022, but it’s time to let the young players make their home in the Big Apple.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #58595b" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://fansided.com/2023/04/03/ny-mets-rumors-3-players-may/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 2 </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-2400206" src=https://fansided.com/2023/04/03/ny-mets-rumors-3-players-may/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Ffansided.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1479060568.jpeg" alt="New York Mets, NY Mets" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://fansided.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1479060568.jpeg 3200w, https://fansided.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1479060568-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px" /><p class="wp-caption-text">MIAMI, FLORIDA – APRIL 01: Tylor Megill #38 of the New York Mets delivers a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at loanDepot park on April 01, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>2. NY Mets roster: Tylor Megill will not be part of the roster by May 1</h2>
<p>The New York Mets roster has been hit hard by the injury bug. But more specifically, the Mets starting rotation is missing two of their five starters. Both Justin Verlander and Jose Quintana opened the year on the IL.</p>
<p>Currently, the Mets are rolling with a starting rotation of Max Scherzer, Carlos Carrasco, Tylor Megill, David Peterson, and Kodai Senga. Peterson and Megill are on the roster because Verlander and Quintana are not. While the latter is expected to miss half the season, Verlander could be back in a couple weeks.</p>
<p>No one on the Mets roster, short of maybe Scherzer, is taking starts away from Verlander. That means that Megill may be headed to Triple-A. The right-hander could be moved to the bullpen instead, but if the Mets want to keep Megill stretched out, it may behoove them to move him back to the minors and be their first option should an injury arise.</p>
<p>While both Tylor Megill and David Peterson have minor league options remaining, Peterson being a left-hander who can offer manager Buck Showalter a different look certainly works in the 27-year-old’s favor.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #58595b" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://fansided.com/2023/04/03/ny-mets-rumors-3-players-may/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 3 </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-2400216" src=https://fansided.com/2023/04/03/ny-mets-rumors-3-players-may/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2132,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Ffansided.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1478836732.jpeg" alt="New York Mets, NY Mets" width="3200" height="2132" srcset="https://fansided.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1478836732.jpeg 3200w, https://fansided.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1478836732-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px" /><p class="wp-caption-text">MIAMI, FLORIDA – APRIL 01: Eduardo Escobar #10 of the New York Mets throws the ball to first base against the Miami Marlins during the third inning of the game at loanDepot park on April 01, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>3. NY Mets roster: Eduardo Escobar will not be part of the roster by May 1</h2>
<p>A lot of things have to go right, or wrong depending on whose camp your in, in order for the New York Mets to move on from <a href=https://fansided.com/2023/04/03/ny-mets-rumors-3-players-may/"https://www.fangraphs.com/players/eduardo-escobar/6153/stats?position=3B/SS%22 target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eduardo Escobar</a> so quickly. Escobar is owed $10-million this season, but owner Steve Cohen has shown that spending is no big deal if it equals wins.</p>
<p>Escobar’s early-season struggles have helped his cause, as the 34-year-old has just one hit in 16 at-bats. If Escobar doesn’t snap out of this skid soon, New York could become very impatient.</p>
<p>The New York Mets have two skilled third prospects sitting down on the farm. Both Brett Baty and Mark Vientos could make the case that they should have been part of the Opening Day roster. Instead, both infielders began their 2023 season at Triple-A. Escobar is going to be looking over his shoulder all season.</p>
<p>If Escobar can turn things around and become a productive hitter, perhaps he’ll stave off the New York brass from calling for his release. But with teams like the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East, the Mets cannot afford to get off to a slow start.</p>
<p>It would seem that Eduardo Escobar would be the most unlikely player to be cut loose before May 1, but stranger things have happened. The Mets third base man can silence the critics by getting his bat going.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="MLB Power Rankings: Overreactions from Opening Weekend" data-url="https://fansided.com/2023/04/03/mlb-power-rankings-overreactions/" data-call-to-action="Next"
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