The Mets have optioned Eric Campbell to Triple-A Las Vegas and have selected the contract of catcher Johnny Monell. When the Mets announced that Monell would join the team yesterday, there was speculation about the team's corresponding roster move. Some speculated that it would be Kirk Nieuwenhuis, while others thought it could be a relief pitcher.
Campbell was struggling at the plate, hitting just .200/.323/.320 for the season after tearing it up in the Pacific Coast League to start the year. That, along with Daniel Murphy moving over to third base, apparently made Campbell expendable to the Mets for now.
Monell has not played in a major league game since 2013, when he played in eight games for the San Francisco Giants. This year in Vegas, Monell has been on fire, hitting .397 with four home runs and 15 RBI through the first 17 games of the season. He will be used primarily as a lefty bat off the bench for the Mets and will be wearing number 19.