Mets Have DFA’d Five Players in Four Days. The Latest One Never Even Pitched.

The New York Mets are in full roster blender mode. And they’re not slowing down.

Over the last four days, the team has designated five players for assignment. The most recent name on that list? Dan Hammer, who was called up from the minors on Thursday but never threw a single pitch. He was DFA’d on Friday, according to Mets beat writer Anthony DiComo.

Hammer joins Guillo Zuñiga, Alex Carrillo, Matt Seelinger and Jared Oliva. Combined, that group has made zero or one appearance for the Mets this season. Most of them never really got a chance.

This is what happens when a team is 40-54, sitting dead last in the NL East, and dealing with a never-ending stream of injuries. The Mets have been among the hardest-hit teams in baseball when it comes to health. And that’s forcing them to cycle through arms and bodies at a pace that feels almost frantic.

Right now the injured list includes Mark Vientos, Marcus Semien, Clay Holmes, Austin Warren, Reed Garrett and Tylor Megill. That’s not a full list, either. And with Luis Robert Jr. out, the front office has been signing anyone who might help. But the results haven’t stuck. Players come in, they barely play, and then they’re gone.

A season that’s slipping away

It’s been a rough year in Queens. The offense has been inconsistent. The pitching staff has been battered. And the trade deadline is approaching with the Mets looking like sellers. That’s not where anyone expected them to be, but here we are.

The constant DFA moves are a symptom of a bigger problem. The Mets don’t have a stable roster. They’re trying patches and hoping something holds. So far, nothing has.

With the All-Star break right around the corner, the team has some real decisions to make. Do they start moving guys out? Do they bring in more stopgap players and hope for a miracle? Or do they finally admit this season is lost and start planning for next year?

What comes next

Nobody’s saying the Mets are done making moves. If anything, the opposite is true. This kind of roster churn tends to keep going until a team either rights the ship or fully commits to next season. And right now, the Mets look closer to the latter.

It’s possible we see more DFA announcements in the coming days. The pattern is clear. The Mets are looking for any combination that works, and they’re not afraid to cut bait fast when it doesn’t. Whether that approach pays off down the road is anyone’s guess. But for now, it’s the only plan they’ve got.