The Mets officially made one Opening Day roster decision Wednesday and were expected to spend the afternoon discussing the final expected transaction before the season begins.
The Mets informed DJ Stewart he has made the team, manager Carlos Mendoza announced, solidifying the roster spot of the designated hitter/outfielder/perhaps even backup first baseman.
Stewart, who likely will be the Opening Day DH, became a rare bright spot of last year’s club and hit upon being called up, emerging in the final two months of the season and finishing with an .840 OPS.
This spring the 30-year-old was quiet, hitting just .175 in the Grapefruit League, but he walked enough (seven times) to finish with a .340 on-base percentage.
The Mets had seen enough to bring him to Citi Field, but there was still a question about whether he would be on the roster or whether the Mets would add externally.
“Lefty bat, power, the way he controls the strike zone,” Mendoza said of Stewart, whose defensive versatility he also credited for making the club.
Stewart still can be optioned to the minor leagues, which may happen once J.D. Martinez is ready.
There is clarity in the position-player group but still clouds in the bullpen.
The Mets have two spots remaining in the bullpen and brought three contending relievers to Queens.
The Mets cannot option Yohan Ramirez, Sean Reid-Foley or Michael Tonkin, all three righties, all three having impressed during the Grapefruit League.
Ramirez allowed two runs in 10 spring innings, Reid-Foley has the best strikeout ability and Tonkin is well-regarded for his length, able to take down a few innings at a time.
“As soon as I get done here,” Mendoza said during an afternoon news conference, “we’ll have some more conversations.”
Kodai Senga, who had been shut down from throwing since late February, resumed throwing Monday in Port St. Lucie and played catch again Wednesday in the Citi Field outfield.
The Mets’ ace, who was diagnosed with a moderate strain of the posterior capsule in his right shoulder, is on an every-other-day schedule, Mendoza said.
Typically starting pitchers need at least six weeks to fully build up, making a late-May debut at least possible.
Martinez, who was not officially signed until Saturday, will spend at least the first 10 days of the season getting at-bats elsewhere before becoming an option for the big-league Mets.
The veteran DH is still in Port St. Lucie and will be there “for the next week or so,” Mendoza said.
Martinez is mostly facing minor league Mets, though he got at-bats against Adrian Houser on Tuesday, Mendoza said, because Houser remained there to build up and pitched six innings.
After 10 season days — the minimum stay for a minor league option that will allow Martinez to tune up after missing most of spring training — Mendoza said they will discuss whether he needs more at-bats with an affiliate or in St. Lucie.
He could become an option for a series in Atlanta that begins April 8.
