Come May 2nd, the MLB is making all MLB teams reduce their roster size from 28 to 26 players. This means that two players will be removed from the roster and either designated for assignment or sent to Triple-AAA Reno. There are only 5 days until then. I decided to take a look at the roster and list three players that are likely to be off the roster in the near future. These aren't easy decisions normally and especially not for the GM and front office who know that these decisions affect far more than just the ball club. Yet it will and must happen.
The Diamondbacks will be getting Josh Rojas back sometime in the next few weeks which will further make another player be sent down to make room. We saw that recently with Yonny Hernandez and Jake McCarthy being sent down for Nick Ahmed and Jordan Luplow. So, who are the next three players likely to be sent down barring injuries?
Taylor Widener, RHP
Widener failed to secure a spot in the Opening Day rotation or bullpen. Since then, he's been called up to work out of the bullpen but has only gotten into one game for one inning in which he hit a batter and gave up a run and hit. It wasn't ideal, but seeing as how the Dbacks have plenty of bullpen arms to call upon from the minor leagues and that they probably prefer to keep Widener stretched out, then sending him down to the minors would be the best thing.
He could get stretched out further to provide more length and still be called up next time the Dbacks need a long-reliever or spot start. Widener is likely to be the first pitcher sent down if space is needed or on May 2nd.
Sergio Alcantara, INF
Sergio Alcantara is likely to be sent down as soon as Josh Rojas is healthy or perhaps even before. Geraldo Perdomo is able to play third and can cover there once Rojas is back. Sergio has made some key errors while really struggling at the plate. He's hitting .121/.143/.242 with one HR and 4 RBI. Those aren't great numbers. With the team having Matt Davidson too, there's just no need for a light-hitting infielder when the team has other guys that can provide that.
Plus, after Rojas comes back, we will have Matt Davidson, Geraldo Perdomo, and Rojas share third base and infield backup duties among three spots. That's a decent group for now and one that Sergio Alcantara definitely isn't good enough to crack yet.
Corbin Martin, RHP
This is one that hurts since I don't believe he deserves to be sent down at all. I personally think that he should be in the starting rotation after he's pitched 7 innings of 2-earned run ball with 2 walks and 9 Ks with a 2.57 ERA and 1.36 FIP. Yet, the team has sent him down once already to get him starting rotation work and stretch him out. Unless Humberto Castellanos bombs his next start or the team decides to remove him from the rotation then Martin will be out of luck. The same goes for Tyler Gilbert who's in the same situation as Martin.
Both are deserving of rotation spots but the Dbacks don't operate a 6-man rotation and without any injuries, there are just no spots available right now. I believe in these two guys and I wouldn't be surprised to see them in the season-ending rotation. For now, the onus is on them to perform over the next 5 days to make this as difficult a decision as they can for the Dbacks and Torey and Hazen.
Other potential players to be sent to the Minors: Tyler Gilbert, J.B. Wendelken, Jose Herrera, Matt Davidson