New York Mets Roster
- NL East
- Stadium
- Citi Field
New York Mets designated hitter J.D. Martinez will retreat to the bench on Sunday for the series finale against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. Martinez didn't make his 2024 debut with the Mets until Friday night after signing with the club late in spring training and then suffering a back injury while getting ramped up at extended spring training. The 36-year-old veteran right-handed went 3-for-8 in his first two games with an RBI, but he also struck out five times. The Mets plan on easing Martinez back into the fold, so it shouldn't be a surprise that he's on the bench in only his third game back. With Martinez starting on the bench, DJ Stewart will serve as the team's designated hitter and bat cleanup against Cardinals right-hander Lance Lynn. The 30-year-old lefty hitter isn't a bad low-cost DFS option on Sunday in the cleanup spot. He's hitting .200 (9-for-45) on the year with three homers and 11 RBI.
The New York Mets have placed outfielder Starling Marte on the bereavement list while infielder Mark Vientos has been recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to take his spot on the active roster. The 35-year-old has been off to a hot start this season, hitting .288 with four home runs, six stolen bases, and a .769 OPS across 111 trips to the plate, good for a 119 wRC+ that sits 19% above the league average. Marte plummeted down draft boards after a 2023 season that saw him hit .248 with only five homers alongside 24 stolen bases and a .625 OPS across 86 games in 2023, by far the worst offensive season of his career. However, he has rewarded managers who bet on a bounce back in drafts this spring.
New York Mets outfielders Harrison Bader and Starling Marte are both out of Saturday's lineup. As a result, Tyrone Taylor will play in center field and bat seventh, and DJ Stewart will man right field and bat fifth. Bader has put up a solid .267 AVG during his first month in Queens but will get a breather since he has not registered a hit in his past three games. Marte, who has been off to a great start with a .288 AVG and four home runs, will miss his first game of the season. Both Taylor and Stewart have a tough matchup today as they will face Sonny Gray, who enters Saturday with a dominant 1.04 ERA and 0.87 WHIP, and both will be popular fades in DFS.
New York Mets right-hander Tylor Megill (shoulder) is scheduled to start a minor-league rehab assignment on Saturday and throw two innings for High-A Brooklyn. Megill is getting close to returning to the big leagues while recovering from a right-shoulder strain that he suffered during his season debut on March 31 against the Milwaukee Brewers. The 28-year-old will probably need more than one rehab start before the Mets activate him from the injured list. When fully healthy, Megill should have a spot in New York's starting rotation, making him worth a deep-league pickup for pitching depth. He ended up making 25 starts for the Mets in 2023 and held a 4.70 ERA (4.96 FIP) and 1.57 WHIP with a career-high 105 strikeouts and 58 walks in 126 1/3 innings pitched.
New York Mets right-hander Kodai Senga (shoulder) threw an up-and-down bullpen session on Thursday and is scheduled to face hitters for the first time on Monday. Senga will be facing hitters for the first time since suffering a shoulder capsule strain in late February in spring training. It's good news for the 31-year-old, but he still has many boxes to check before he's able to embark on a minor-league rehab assignment. Because Senga is on the 60-day injured list, he won't be eligible to make his 2024 debut for the Mets until late May, if he's even ready by then. Fantasy baseball managers must continue to practice patience and keep him stashed in an IL spot after he posted a 2.98 ERA and 1.22 WHIP with 202 strikeouts and 77 walks in 166 1/3 innings over 29 starts in his first year in the majors in 2023.