Mets manager Luis Rojas has left the door open for the potential use of an opener in 2021, and with the recent hamstring injury to Carlos Carrasco, that possibility seems even more likely.
If New York elects to go that route, it may want to approach a few other arms before asking Trevor May to take that opener role.
May joined Carton & Roberts on Friday and was asked about the possibility of leading a line of relievers on an opener day for the Mets, and while may would do whatever the team asked of him, serving as an opener wouldn't be his favorite day at the office.
"I'm an easy guy man," May said. "If that's something I'm called upon and that's what they really want me to do, I'm not gonna fight it too hard. But in my experience, opening is just not my forte. I'm a big 'give me a big spot…get the crowd in it.' Starting the game, it's just boring. It's boring as hell. I want a spot, I want the opportunity to hold the game and keep it where it is and get out of a big spot. I feed off that."
Evan tried to sell May on the idea of being the one who leads the parade, but May prefers the higher-leverage spots in the later innings. While some openers enjoy the prospect of getting their workload in right away and relaxing for the next eight innings, it doesn't sound nearly as enticing to May.
"It sets the tone, it's tone setting for sure," May said. "A lot guys say 'Oh, go out and throw, get three outs and be done for the day and just go sit in the clubhouse,' that sounds awful. Go sit in the clubhouse by yourself? That sounds awful. I'd rather be hanging out in the pen anyway."
May has made just one start in the past four years, and hasn't been the first to take the mound since 2018. If it were up to him, he would keep it that way in his first season with the Mets. But if Rojas calls his name in the first inning, he'll be out there. He just may not enjoy as much as the sixth, seventh or eighth innings.
"All jokes aside, if it comes down that I'm called on to do it and that's something they're comfortable putting me in that situation and they want me to do it, I'm going to do it and be as good at that as I can be," May said.
Check out May's entire appearance on Carton & Roberts below!
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