The Mets face decisions Tuesday on two arbitration-eligible players who could provide bench depth in 2015.
Ruben Tejada and Eric Young Jr. will know by MLB’s Tuesday night/Wednesday morning deadline whether they have been tendered contracts for next season.
According to multiple industry sources, Young is the more likely of the two to be non-tendered. Tejada is expected to be tendered a contract, despite his disappointing 2014 season.
But the rationale behind a decision to tender Tejada a contract revolves around the club’s murky shortstop situation. As it stands, Tejada is the club’s only option behind Wilmer Flores, who will head into spring training as the starter at shortstop if the Mets are unsuccessful in landing an upgrade.
Tejada’s projected salary of about $1.7 million for next season makes him a relatively inexpensive backup option.
If the Mets were to land a shortstop through a trade or free agency, they could deal Tejada and keep Flores in a backup role.
The 25-year-old Tejada had a .237/.342/.310 slash line with five homers and 34 RBIs in 355 at-bats last season. He began the year as the starter at shortstop, but was displaced by Flores for the final two months as the Mets attempted to evaluate the rookie.
The Mariners’ Chris Taylor and the White Sox’ Alexei Ramirez are among the shortstops the Mets can pursue in a trade. Or the team could wait out the free-agent market to see if there is a bargain to be found with Stephen Drew or Jed Lowrie.
Young would be staring at a raise, after a 2014 season in which he made $1.85 million. His final slash line was .229/.299/.311 with 30 stolen bases.
The Mets have lower-cost backup outfield options in Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Matt den Dekker and Eric Campbell, none of whom are arbitration eligible. The team could also look to add a low-cost righty bat.
Two arbitration-eligible Yankees pitchers face the possibility of being non-tendered by the Tuesday night/Wednesday morning deadline.
Right-hander Esmil Rogers, whom the Yankees claimed off waivers from Toronto in July, made $1.85 million in 2014 and put up a 4.68 ERA in 18 games, totaling 25 innings pitched. Lefty David Huff earned $505,000 last season, and he recorded a 1.30 ERA in 30 games (39 innings) after the Yankees reacquired him from San Francisco in June. This marks the first time Huff is eligible for arbitration, so his salary likely would jump into seven figures.
Additional reporting by?Ken Davidoff