Load Management and the Designated Hitter: Mets edition

Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty ImagesWhile Major League Baseball is currently embroiled in a lockout that has the beginning of the 2022 season in peril, we know one thing about the future of baseball: It will include the universal designated hitter, bringing the position to the National League on a permanent basis.

Naturally, that considerably affects the Mets and general manager Billy Eppler’s roster construction, whenever the lockout ends. While the simple solution would be to just sign a designated hitter-type bat—Nelson Cruz—and call it a day, that would not provide much roster flexibility. And that’s something this Mets roster actually needs to be in search of, even with all their high…