Mets allowing Reyes to work through slide

NEW YORK -- Although Jose Reyes endured a poor start to last season, by mid-May he was already making up for it, well on his way to a productive campaign. This year, that rebound has not occurred. Reyes is in an 0-for-8 slide and is 2-for-22 in May. Combined with his 0-for-20 skid to open the season, Reyes is batting just .132 with a .367 OPS.
Yet team officials have indicated no urgent desire to cut ties with Reyes, 34, who signed a $2 million deal to return to the Mets this offseason. When asked specifically if Reyes should be worried about his roster spot, manager Mickey Callaway offered modest support, though he twice mentioned that the decision is above his pay grade.
"That's not, probably, my decision to make," Callaway said. "We signed Reyes to do a job. I have to continue to put him out there to allow him to do that job. I think there's more baseball left in Jose. But I don't really make all those roster decisions. I obviously have feedback. As far as I'm concerned, Jose's a big part of this team. I'll continue to go out there and allow him to try to have some success."

Mickey Callaway speaks live prior to our series opener vs. Miami. #Mets https://t.co/S7MpWSSjx7

— New York Mets (@Mets) May 21, 2018

Reyes should be safe for at least this week, with injuries creating holes on the Mets' roster. When Todd Frazier returns from the disabled list, the Mets may have to look harder at the issue, deciding whether it is worth keeping Reyes over 10th-ranked prospect Luis Guillorme.
Twice in two days, Guillorme has drawn starts instead of Reyes, who went 0-for-4 the last time Callaway put him in the lineup. Guillorme is also considered one of the best infield defenders in the entire Mets organization, making him a potentially valuable bench piece even after Frazier returns.
Slow progress
For the first time since straining his left hamstring earlier this month, Frazier took batting practice, though he still has not attempted to run at full speed. Frazier will need to do so before he begins a Minor League rehab assignment, meaning his return is not imminent.
Outfielder Yoenis Cespedes is making slower progress, despite the Mets' indecision about putting him on the DL in the first place. Cespedes is still just receiving treatment, without attempting baseball activities.
Cespedes (mild strain of right hip flexor) has not discussed the severity of his injury since first sustaining it on May 6; team PR staffers have said Cespedes was unavailable to speak on more than a half-dozen occasions since that time, though he remains in New York with the club.
When asked what progress Cespedes has made, Callaway said: "I'm not sure at this point."
Veteran interest
The Mets appear to have at least some interest in signing veteran slugger Jose Bautista, according to multiple industry sources. Bautista, whom the Braves released last weekend, hit just .143 with a .593 OPS in 12 games for Atlanta. He knocked 23 home runs last year for the Blue Jays, but batted just .203. The last of Bautista's six consecutive All-Star appearances came in 2015.
A career .249 hitter with 333 home runs, Bautista has played first base, third base and right field in recent years.