CHICAGO — Pablo Reyes’ speed and versatility were two appealing traits to Mets officials when considering September roster additions.
The team selected the veteran utility man from Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday with an eye toward bolstering the bench. Reyes appeared in 21 games for the Red Sox this season before he was designated for assignment.
“He’s been in this league before and there’s a lot of different ways he can impact the game and help you win,” manager Carlos Mendoza said before the 2-0 victory over the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field.
The Mets also recalled reliever Alex Young to provide an additional lefty. Young appeared in seven games for the Mets before he was optioned to Syracuse in August and pitched to a 1.29 ERA.
The additions give the club a full September roster of 28 players. Mendoza noted that changes are still possible as warranted.
Among the players bypassed for Reyes was Luisangel Acuña, who fit a similar profile as a speed/versatility option.
Acuña, who arrived last summer in the trade that sent Max Scherzer to Texas, has 36 stolen bases for Syracuse, but has struggled at the plate with a .676 OPS.
Mendoza said Acuña was considered, but the organization would prefer to keep him playing every day at Syracuse rather than putting him on the bench in the major leagues.
“I talked to Pablo when he got here and I’m not sure about starts for him, he’s just got to stay ready,” Mendoza said. “For Acuña, there’s not going to be many starts here, and it’s important for his development for him to be able to play every day and we still have a month to go. A lot can change here.”
Reyes saw action on Sunday as a pinch-runner in the ninth inning after J.D. Martinez drew a two-out walk. Reyes raced to score from first base on Starling Marte’s shot off the right-field fence that became an RBI double.
“There’s a lot of different ways [Reyes] can help you,” Mendoza said. “It allows us to be a little more aggressive if we need to run early in the game for certain guys.”