With just over a week remaining in the regular season, the Mets have some depth pieces waiting in the wings.
Dominic Smith, Stephen Nogosek, Alex Claudio and Deven Marrero reportedly all have lockers in the Mets clubhouse as New York enters its stretch run.
Although no roster moves have been made at the moment, with Triple-A Syracuse finishing its season on Wednesday the Mets have decided to keep these four players close and on standby, likely having them as options off the team's "taxi squad."
All four players have played for the Amazin’s at some point this season with Smith being the most notable.
Breaking camp on the 28-man roster after a torrid spring, Smith began the season penciled in as the team’s left-handed DH and an option at first base. But after a terrible month of April, talks of Smith getting left off the 26-man roster on May 2 began to swirl.
Then, Smith had himself a 4-for-4 performance against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday Night Baseball that likely saved his spot on the roster. The Mets decided instead to cut Robinson Cano, who had also been struggling mightily.
Unfortunately for Smith, that game on Sunday night proved to be more of an anomaly than the standard as he continued to struggle at the plate.
His hitting woes continued all the way through the middle of July before he suffered a right ankle sprain that landed him on the 10-day IL. After rehabbing with Triple-A Syracuse, Smith never got the call back up.
Smith’s last game played for the Mets this season came on July 16 as he slashed .194/.276/.284 with no home runs and 17 RBI in 134 at-bats.
In Triple-A, the 27-year-old has had much different results, slashing .284/.367/.472 with 10 home runs and 38 RBI in 218 at-bats.
Nogosek and Claudio did not break camp with the team but have filled in nicely out of the bullpen when called upon this season. In 11 appearances, Nogosek has a 2.79 ERA, 1.24 WHIP with 15 strikeouts over 19.1 innings. He last pitched for New York on Aug. 20.
In just three appearances with the big club, the veteran Claudio has yet to be scored on, going 3.1 scoreless innings and giving up one hit, two walks and striking out two.
Marrero, a third baseman, saw some time at the big league level this season after Eduardo Escobar, Brett Baty and Luis Guillorme were all injured. Known more for his glove than his bat, the 32-year-old is hitless in six at-bats this season with three strikeouts, although he does have one stolen base.