The Mets have eliminated one more candidate for the left side of the bullpen.
After Saturday’s 10-2 win over the Nationals, the Mets re-assigned LHP Scott Rice to minor league camp, the team announced.
Rice made seven appearances this spring for the Mets, allowing five earned runs on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.
While a small sample, left-handed hitters hit .444 against Rice this spring.
In my projection earlier this week, I gave Rice the nod for the second left-handed relief job in the bullpen on the assumption they would take two lefties north and wouldn’t acquire anyone to pair with Sean Gilmartin who, while he didn’t have a good showing on Saturday against Bryce Harper, I still expect to make the club.
I still believe it makes sense to eventually option Dario Alvarez and acquire someone from the outside, and that could very well happen with a week to go now that Rice is out. That way, if Gilmartin doesn’t work out, they have Rice, Alvarez and Leathersich as options to bring back. If not, I suppose they could go with Gilmartin, hope someone like Rafael Montero can get lefties out, and see if one of the three lefties distinguish themselves in Las Vegas.
Just Mets 