ST. LOUIS — Mets players receive the lineup the night before their next game, but Harrison Bader doesn’t check it until arriving at the ballpark because of concern his sleep will be affected if his name isn’t listed.
On Monday, he received an individual message from manager Carlos Mendoza telling him he wouldn’t be starting the following night, placing the veteran outfielder on the bench for a second straight game.
Bader understands the Mets have a crowded scene, but at the same time expected a larger role when he signed a one-year contract with the team worth $10 million last offseason.
“I don’t handle it well, I can tell you that,” Bader said before the Mets’ 7-5 win over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. “But I certainly don’t let it affect the way I prepare, the way I keep focused when I do get an opportunity to go in there and play, even if it’s later in the game. If anything it lights more of a fire under my ass. I’m bothered by it for sure.
“But I respect what they view as giving us an opportunity to win and at the same time whether my name is in there or not I prepare to play every single day of the season.”
On this night, Mendoza opted for a lineup that included DJ Stewart in left field, shifting Brandon Nimmo to center with Starling Marte in right.
Bader did replace Stewart in the middle of the game and went 0-for-2.
A night earlier Jeff McNeil started in left field, shifting Nimmo to center.
Mendoza has also utilized outfielder Tyrone Taylor, whose early-season production has helped bolster the lineup.
Bader entered play with a .286/.320/.347 slash line with one homer and seven RBIs in 103 plate appearances over 29 games.
Tuesday marked the fourth time in eight games he was absent from the starting lineup.
“It certainly has been a challenge, not what I expected, but that is what life is about,” Bader said of the reduced playing time. “But adjustability is availability — that is what I was always taught. So I’m just staying in the pocket and waiting for any given opportunity to do something good for my teammates. That is what I care about.”
Bader, who was signed primarily for his defense, said he respects team brass’ decisions, but that hasn’t made it easier on him.
“I want to win, but I want to play,” Bader said. “We all want to play, but it’s hard. We have got a lot of guys and I respect the position that everyone is in. … I don’t know who makes the lineup, but whatever we have got going on I respect that position.”
Bader wouldn’t say if he was given specific parameters on playing time before signing with the club.
“Those details were between me and my agents,” Bader said. “[The Mets] went after me because they wanted me to play and they wanted me to play center field. We’ll see how it shakes out. It’s a long year and I’m built for it.”
Mendoza said he spoke to Bader last weekend about remaining focused on the big picture.
“Bader is a huge part of this team as the center fielder,” Mendoza said. “But you can make a case for a lot of those guys: Taylor and trying to get Stewart in there, so it’s more matchup related and that’s where we’re at and we’ve still got a long way to go. That’s some of the conversations I’m having with them. I know they are not happy about it because they all want to play.
“It’s not that Bader is doing anything — you could make a case for all three of them,” Mendoza said, referring also to Taylor and Stewart. “It’s good to have that healthy competition, because at the end of the day I’m using all 26 guys on the roster.”
