Mets make handful of roster mo...

The Mets' bullpen makeup is one of the organization's remaining unanswered questions coming into the 2023 regular season, and the team made a few roster changes on Sunday that clarified the issue.

Non-roster relievers T.J McFarland and Jimmy Yacabonis have been transferred to minor league camp, while right-handed reliever Jeff Brigham has been optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.

With these transactions, the Mets appear to have four relievers competing for three bullpen spots: John Curtiss, Elieser Hernandez, Stephen Nogosek, and newcomer Dennis Santana.

Buck Showalter then informed reporters on Sunday afternoon that Hernandez and Tylor Megill are more likely to be starters than relievers, and that the Mets will most likely use an eight-man bullpen.

Putting it all together, it appears like the Mets will start the season with an eight-man bullpen consisting of David Robertson, Adam Ottavino, Brooks Raley, Drew Smith, Tommy Hunter, Curtiss, Nogosek, and Santana.

Brigham, 31, pitched in eight games with a 3.12 ERA for the Mets in spring. He struck out 12 batters and walked four, limiting opponents to a.161 average. Brigham is still expected to play in the Mets' big-league bullpen at some point this season, but he'll start in Syracuse.

McFarland, a veteran lefty, appeared in eight games for the Mets this spring, pitching to a 5.40 ERA. Yacabonis, meanwhile, recorded a 3.38 ERA in 8.0 innings this spring.

INF Danny Mendick optioned

Just ahead of Sunday's matchup with the Miami Marlins, the Mets optioned infielder Danny Mendick to Triple-A Syracuse.

Mendick, 29, had an outside chance to make the team as a utility player off the bench, but he will start the season at Syracuse. In 10 games this spring, Mendick slashed .200/.259/.360 with one homer, two RBI, and three runs scored.