Mets DFA Phil Bickford, rule out Luke Voit, Jose Iglesias
Mets reliever Phil Bickford during a spring training workout last month. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — The Mets don’t know yet — or haven’t said yet — who will win the last spot or two on the bench and in the bullpen.
But they did rule out a few options Saturday, including veteran major-leaguers Luke Voit and Jose Iglesias, with the regular season looming Thursday.
Righthander Phil Bickford, among several relievers competing for a pair of openings, was designated for assignment. That made room on the 40-man roster for J.D. Martinez, whose one-year contract became official.
“I’ve been saying it all along: There’s going to be some tough conversations, tough decisions,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “And here we are this morning making a few of them.”
Also not breaking camp with the team: relievers Shintaro Fujinami and Austin Adams. Fujinami, optioned to Triple-A Syracuse, had a chance entering camp but was wild in his last two outings.
The Mets have room for two of Michael Tonkin, Sean Reid-Foley and Yohan Ramirez.
On the position player side, the Mets informed Voit, Iglesias and Tomas Nido that they would not make the team, Mendoza said. Voit and Iglesias have opt-out clauses in their contracts, but it was not clear if either would exercise that power.
If Mark Vientos is the Mets’ DH until Martinez is ready, the Mets have several players for one bench job: first baseman/DH Jiman Choi, infielder Zack Short and corner outfielder DJ Stewart.
“There’s a big puzzle we’re trying to put together in the next couple of days,” Mendoza said. “The good thing is we still have a few days.
“Those are some of the discussions we’re having, whether we want to keep the versatility, add an extra guy who can play multiple positions, whether it’s a lefthanded bat with us facing a lot of righthanded pitching the first few series. Still fluid.”
Money matters
A technicality on Bickford: The $900,000 salary he won in an arbitration hearing against the Mets last month is not guaranteed. If he clears waivers and is released, he will receive 45 days of termination pay, about $217,000.
Had Bickford accepted the Mets’ offer of $815,000 to avoid arbitration in January, that figure would have been fully guaranteed.
Pitching plans
Mendoza revealed the rest of the Mets’ season-opening rotation order: After Jose Quintana on Opening Day and Luis Severino in the second game, Tylor Megill will face the Brewers in the series finale on March 31.
Sean Manaea and Adrian Houser will start the fourth and fifth games, respectively. Both will face the Tigers.
Quintana’s tuneup
Quintana’s exhibition finale in a 13-5 loss to the Astros yielded his second ugly linescore in a row: three hits, five runs, four walks in parts of four innings (74 pitches). He struck out six.
Afterward, he threw another 20 pitches — another simulated inning — in the bullpen, trying to figure out potential problems in his delivery identified by pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, Mendoza said.
“Working on my timing and my mechanics — I’m really close,” said Quintana, who became a U.S. citizen on Wednesday. “I feel good. I figured it out. The good thing is I know what is happening, what I feel throwing the ball. I continue to keep working in the bullpen.”
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
