Photo by Ed Delany, MMN
On Thursday, the Mets announced the 30-man roster they will begin the season with. The team has yet to announce the three-player taxi squad.
The roster seems to indicate that RHP Corey Oswalt will take Marcus Stroman‘s spot in the starting rotation after Stroman was placed on the injured list yesterday. Oswalt gets the nod over journeyman RHP Erasmo Ramirez and young LHP David Peterson, who may have had a better chance of making the team if he was on the team’s 40-man roster.
Your 2020 #Mets #OpeningDay roster! #LGM pic.twitter.com/srl4MBMvYK
— New York Mets (@Mets) July 23, 2020
Perhaps the biggest surprise on this roster is the inclusion of top prospect Andrés Giménez. The shortstop’s role is unknown at this time, but he will be sharing the roster with other backup infielders Luis Guillorme and Eduardo Nunez. Giménez could be insurance in case either Amed Rosario or Robinson Cano are not completely up to speed yet. Both starting middle infielders missed time earlier in summer camp. Giménez could also act as a speed-first, pinch-runner type with other fast runners like Ryan Cordell being left off the roster.
Again, Gimenez is on the 40-man roster, while Cordell or Johneshwy Fargas are not.
Outfielder Jake Marisnick does make the roster out of the gate, after some hamstring tightness had threatened to hold him back.
With bullpen arms Robert Gsellman hurt and Brad Brach and Jared Hughes missing in action, the Mets’ bullpen will be rounded out by Drew Smith, Paul Sewald, Chasen Shreve, and Hunter Strickland. Shreve makes the roster as the second left-handed reliever, edging out Daniel Zamora.
Strickland, Nunez, and Shreve had to be added to the 40-man roster, to make room the Mets designated Stephen Gonsalves for assignment.
