Mar 3, 2023; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets catcher Tomas Nido (3) rounds third base after hitting a home run against the Washington Nationals during the sixth inning at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
MLB: Spring Training-Washington Nationals at New York Mets
(New York, NY) – The New York Mets have designated Tomas Nido for assignment, as the team was faced with a roster crunch following Omar Narváez return from injury.
Narváez went down early this year with a calf strain, but has since completed a rehab assignment. A former All-Star, Narváez was batting .286 in 14 at bats before getting hurt.
The Amazins will carry two catchers rather than three, which would have hamstrung the club’s flexibility. Other options would have included optioning Mark Vientos or designating Daniel Vogelbach for assignment.
Nido, who is considered a better defensive option, has struggled to hit with any consistency. Through 56 at bats this year, the catcher managed a .125 batting average with just one run driven in. He also dealt with dry-eye syndrome and had to go on the injured list for a time.
With the Mets struggling to produce runs consistently, it seems the club decided it was better to carry Narváez bat.
It would stand to reason he’ll back up rookie Francisco Alvarez, who’s hit eight HR in his first 38 games, while playing competent defense.
