Mets 2022 NL Wild Card Series roster

NEW YORK -- Injured outfielder Starling Marte not only made the Mets’ Wild Card roster, but he was in the starting lineup for Game 1 despite a fractured right middle finger that has sidelined him since the early days of September -- and despite the fact that he is still operating at less than 100 percent.

“In a situation like this, you kind of have to suck up the pain,” Marte said through an interpreter.

Marte looked fine in his return to the Mets, going 2-for-4 and making an impressive running grab in right field. This was one of few bright spots in the Mets' 7-1 loss against the Padres.

The only concession that manager Buck Showalter made to Marte’s finger, which he fractured when Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller struck him with a fastball Sept. 6, was to bump Marte from his customary No. The lineup moved Marte from the No. 2 spot to No. 6. Otherwise, everything was status quo for Marte, who slotted in as the Mets’ starting right fielder. Marte practiced batting before the game at Citifield. He hit one ball more that 400 feet above the fence in left-center. Marte plans to wear a tight wrap of cloth on his finger underneath his batting gloves.

Showalter stated that he had a candid pregame conversation with Marte and ultimately accepted his word when evaluating Marte.

“I trust him,” Showalter said. “Every time he’s had something similar to this and he’s told me something, there’s a real trust there that we’ve had.”

Marte was a dynamic player and the Mets had every reason to include him on their roster. He hit.292/.347/.468 in 505 plate appearances, with 16 home runs as well as 18 stolen bases. Marte is 18-for-47 (.383) in his lifetime with four homers and a triple, as well as two doubles against Yu Darvish and Blake Snell. He also has two doubles against Joe Musgrove, Josh Hader, and Joe Musgrove. He also has the strongest arm of any Mets outfielder.

Asked if Marte’s finger is still broken, Showalter demurred, replying: “What’s the definition of broken?” Marte said he last received an X-ray about a week ago, which showed enough inflammation in the area that team trainers forced him to delay his return to baseball activities. Marte has been hitting the ball for several days, even during a live BP session against Phillip Diehl and Tommy Hunter.

“It means a lot,” Marte said of returning for the playoffs. “This team went out there and battled when I wasn’t around. Now to be able to be here with them and to go into this competition, it means a lot for me to go out there and help.”

Also on the roster is rookie catcher Francisco Álvarez, who figures to serve the team in a DH role. The Mets called Álvarez up for the last few games of the regular season, and after a disappointing debut weekend in Atlanta, he rebounded to collect a homer, a double and two walks over two games vs. the Nationals. Álvarez, who gives the Mets a right-handed option alongside Darin Ruf, can become the youngest Met to appear in a postseason game in franchise history.

“Francisco showed pretty well,” general manager Billy Eppler said. “[We’re] taking a little bit more of a process-based approach -- what he does in the batter’s box, what kind of decisions he makes. He did a good job. He swings with intent. He’s got bad intentions in the batter’s box.”

Tyler Naquin (part-time left-handed outfielder) and Mark Vientos (a rookie who played sparingly down this stretch) were both dropped from the roster. The Mets also dropped Taijuan Walker, Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Williams, three starters who were unlikely be of much use during a best-of-3 Wild Card Series. If the Mets advance, all three of them are eligible to return to the roster for the NL Division Series.

The Mets will have 14 position players and 12 pitchers for the Wild Card Series round, with nine relievers.

PitchersChris BassittJacob deGromEdwin DíazMychal GivensSeth LugoTrevor MayTylor MegillAdam OttavinoDavid PetersonJoely RodríguezMax ScherzerDrew Smith

CatchersFrancisco ÁlvarezTomás NidoJames McCann

InfieldersPete AlonsoEduardo EscobarLuis GuillormeFrancisco LindorJeff McNeilDaniel Vogelbach

OutfieldersMark CanhaTerrance GoreStarling MarteBrandon NimmoDarin Ruf