Mets GM on struggling Reyes: 'He is a viable player for us'
Though calls for the New York Mets to part ways with struggling infielder Jose Reyes seem to be growing louder by the day, it still doesn't appear his roster spot is in question.
General manager Sandy Alderson made that clear while speaking with reporters on Tuesday, saying that any decision regarding the 35-year-old's future with the team will be made based "on the merits" of his play, according to SportsNet New York's Steve Gelbs.
"At this point, Jose is on the team," Alderson said. "He hasn't gotten a lot of playing time recently, but he had a big hit for us the other night. So we'll see where the team goes and we'll see how that plays out. But, as I said on the outset here, it (a roster move) will be on the merits."
"He is a viable player for us," the GM added, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post.
Reyes, once a fan favorite in Queens during his first stint with the team from 2003-11, has been a shadow of himself since returning to the Mets in 2016. He's hitting just .149 with a .415 OPS and 10 strikeouts over 80 plate appearances this year, most of which have come as a pinch-hitter. Reyes has also hurt the Mets defensively, and drew ire from the fan base after committing two potentially game-changing errors on one play during Sunday's win against the New York Yankees.
Related: Mets reportedly discussing retirement with Reyes rather than release
One thing likely working in Reyes' favor is the Mets' injury situation. Second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera hurt his hamstring on Sunday, and while he'll apparently be back in the lineup Tuesday in Atlanta, the uncertainty surrounding his status may be keeping Reyes on the roster.
With Wilmer Flores on the disabled list, only one other infielder - Gavin Cecchini, playing at Triple-A Las Vegas - is on the team's 40-man roster. Alderson seemed to imply Tuesday that no one in his farm system has managed to stand out as a possible replacement for Reyes.
"In some ways this in an indictment of other personnel," he said, according to Matt Ehalt of NorthJersey.com. "We have to have somebody we want to replace him that we think that meets that threshold."