Mets DFA struggling outfielder Darin Ruf
PORT ST. LUCIE — The Mets have made a decision about struggling DH Darin Ruf, designating him for assignment.
The 36-year-old right-handed hitter won’t be included on the club’s Opening Day roster. Instead, the Mets will select outfielder Tim Locastro, a speedy base-stealing specialist. The Mets can take advantage of the new rules that encourage more action on the basepaths with Locastro. The Mets anticipate that an increase in speed will be a league-wide trend with bigger bases and limited pickoffs.
“We’re kind of making a little bit of a bet on the stolen base element,” general manager Billy Eppler said. “I think that stolen bases are going to move up more than they did in the minor leagues. I could really see the stolen base kind of coming into play here, and I think putting Locastro on the roster kind of serves the functionality and the strategy that we want to deploy.”
In addition, the Mets also optioned right-hander Tylor Megill to Triple-A Syracuse, opting to use left-hander David Peterson in the rotation to start the season. The Mets’ Opening Day roster is now set.
Megill will start in the Triple-A opener Friday and try to stay in step with what the team is doing to be ready when he’s called up. Showalter has already indicated that it could be as early as April when the Mets make a three-city California trip with no off days.
Megill was trying to work with new pitches this season and has some control issues with his slider, but he struggled with his fastball command as well.
“You’re throwing new pitches and figuring things out release point-wise,” Megill said Monday at Clover Park. “Just working that out.”
Ruf was acquired at the trade deadline last season from the San Francisco Giants. The Mets sent four players, including third baseman J.D. Davis, to the Giants in exchange for Ruf, who was acquired to hit left-handed pitching. But Ruf found the change of scenery to be difficult and he found it especially difficult to struggle in New York. He hit just .152 with a .413 OPS and no home runs with the Mets.
He came into camp with tendinitis in his wrist and received a cortisone injection, which cleared up the pain. Still, Ruf struggled to hit going 5-for-30 (.167) with two doubles, four walks and nine strikeouts in Grapefruit League play.
“It was hard for him to get his feet underneath him,” Eppler said. “In his first game here with us I think he had a double, but then it started snowballing.”
Locastro had a strong spring, hitting .289 with a .907 OPS, five doubles, a triple, a home run and six stolen bases in six attempts. A Syracuse native who spent time with the Yankees last summer, Locastro can create runs and force errors with his speed and base-running abilities. The Mets also like his defense in the outfield.
“It was 50-50 in my mind when I walked in,” Locastro said of his meeting with Showalter and Eppler. “Fortunately, it went my way and I made the team.”
It’s tough to give up on a player that took so much to acquire but the Mets have seemingly admitted defeat with this trade. The Mets will now give the DH at-bats to Daniel Vogelbach and outfielder Tommy Pham, who was signed in part for his ability to hit left-handed pitching.
“I feel bad for him as a person with the things he kind of endured,” Eppler said. “But I appreciate how he handled everything through all of it. But just like last year, we’re going to make the best baseball decision we’re going to make. I talked to [owner Steve] Cohen about it and he said, ‘Just make the baseball decision.’”
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