Mets trying to decide if they are buyers or sellers at trade deadline
Dominic Smith has played well in leftfield and is hitting .311 with a team-high 20 RBIs. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Dominic Smith may have played himself into place for a trade. Smith, whose first defensive spot is first base, but is behind Pete Alonso on the depth chart, went into Tuesday night’s game batting .310 with a team-best 18 RBIs.
It’s hard to tell where the Mets are as they are near the trading deadline — buyer or seller — as their season has been uneven.
But Smith may be adjusting to leftfield where the Mets have have played him much of the time lately.
“The more and more I get out there. That's just the more comfortable I get there,” Smith said. “I can’t think about those things."
Help wanted
The Mets may need their relief corps to bail them out as the starting rotation deals with injuries and question marks.
“We're heading into the ballgame with [Corey] Oswalt and we’ll l see where he takes us and then we have some fresh arms in the bullpen and that's the best we can do. There are uncertainties but we have guys who have stepped up. And helped us get going and to save some guys; that's the best we can do.”
Extra bases
While moving Seth Lugo to the rotation — a move he actually wants — is a possibility given the Mets rotation problems, Rojas said he will not go that route.
“Seth is very versatile you know and he has the ability to pitch multiple innings,” Rojas said. “He can do everything, His versatility can help us. Right now we will see how he can help us tonight and reevaluate.
“We’re bouncing back right away from the situation that we encountered today,” Rojas said. “This is what we want to do today just to, to get this game.”
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
