The status of Starling Marte’s fractured right middle finger is the most intriguing question facing the Mets ahead of Friday’s 10 a.m. deadline to finalize their wildcard roster.
Marte took part in baseball activities Thursday, according to general manager Billy Eppler, and showed continued progress in rehabilitating an injury that has sidelined him for the past 4 ½ weeks.
“He can grab things,” Eppler said. “We are still waiting and seeing how he performs.”
The Mets must decide if Marte will be able to contribute against the Padres. His right-handed stick was missed the most in Atlanta last weekend, when the Mets were swept three games, with low-octane training a major factor.
Here are some of the decisions the Mets face in building their 26-man roster:
Will the Mets go with 11 pitchers or carry a 12th?
As part of that question, Eppler and manager Buck Showalter have to decide how many relievers would be. Although this is a best-of-three series, having a fourth starter probably makes sense in case Max Scherzer, Chris Bassitt or Jacob deGrom can’t answer the bell or leave early with an injury. That would leave Taijuan Walker or Carlos Carrasco in play.
Are you Francisco Alvarez?
The rookie receiver looks in good shape for a spot on the roster, but that could depend on Marte returning. Even so, if Marte returns, the Mets may not need extra outfielder Tyler Naquin and could choose Alvarez’s mighty right-handed bat. Alvarez, 20, spent the final week of the regular season with the Mets and blasted his first major league homer on Tuesday.
“Francisco showed pretty well,” Eppler said. “By taking more of a process-based approach and the kind of decisions he makes in the batter’s box, he’s shown pretty well and he’s swinging with intention.”
What about the bullpen?
Edwin Diaz, Adam Ottavino, Seth Lugo, Drew Smith, Trevor May, David Peterson, Joely Rodriguez and Mychal Givens give the Mets eight arms. Will Trevor Williams get the green light on Givens? The fact that Williams pitched six innings on Wednesday prevents him from receiving a roster spot for this round.
Are Darin Ruf or Mark Vientos suitable?
That could depend on Marte’s status and how many pitchers the Mets carry. Naquin is a safer bet than Vientos as he can play the outfield and can provide a left-handed bat off the bench. Ruf was a disappointment, but has playoff experience.