Ryan Clifford's Call-Up Timeline Becoming Obvious Through 10 Weeks for Mets

It's slowly starting to come together.

Ryan Clifford has a lot of potential, but he's still a bit away from joining the Mets' lineup. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Mets have experienced some bright spots in recent weeks; however, a playoff berth is still a long shot at best. Although the final nail in the coffin hasn't been hammered just yet, a 29-36 record as of Monday has the Mets sitting outside of the National League's playoff race with a lot of ground to make up.

With so many teams ahead of the final wild-card position, it might be in New York's best interest to forget about this season and embrace the future.

The Aug. 3 trade deadline is quickly approaching, and Mets fans would love nothing more than for the front office to sell off veteran contracts to open roster spots for up-and-comers. Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing are already getting opportunities to prove their worth in manager Carlos Mendoza's lineup, and it'd be great to see how another top prospect—such as Ryan Clifford—could fare with a big-league opportunity.

As great as it'd be to see Clifford in the Mets' lineup, though, a potential call-up will likely require patience from the player himself and fans.

Ryan Clifford will likely need to wait for a Mets opportunity

It was fair to wonder when Clifford would join the Mets before the 2026 season began. The former Astros 11th-rounder—who was traded to Queens in the Justin Verlander deal back in 2023—was coming off a strong 2025 performance where he slashed .237/.356/.470 with 29 home runs, 93 RBIs and 85 walks across 139 games between Triple-A Syracuse and Double-A Binghamton.

Much to everyone's dismay, Clifford hasn't had a similar impact in 2026. The Raleigh, NC native has seen his batting average (.222), on-base percentage (.300), and slugging rate (.466) all drop after 61 games with Syracuse. He also has 14 HRs and 38 RBIs along the way, which puts him on pace for 31 HRs and 87 RBIs if he plays as many games as last season. Not a huge drop-off, but the lack of significant improvement is concerning.

Ryan Clifford hasn't lived up to the Mets' expectations this season. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Digging beyond that, Clifford's underlying stats aren't great. His .212 expected batting average is in the 35th percentile among qualified players, per Prospect Savant, while his 36.1% strikeout and 33.5% whiff rates are in the ninth and 19th percentiles, respectively.

Competition isn't making things easier

Not only is Clifford's performance putting a potential promotion on ice, but so is the fact that there are plenty of bodies between him and a spot on the Mets' roster.

For starters, Mark Vientos and his poor play are still around, meaning New York must ditch him before even thinking about a Clifford call-up. Besides, the Mets already have Jared Young looking comfortable as the starting first baseman. Perhaps they won't want to abandon what's already working, especially if Young keeps his foot on the gas pedal.

Jared Young's recent solid play is making it tough to figure out how Ryan Clifford can fit into the Mets' lineup. | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Additionally, the Mets will be getting some reinforcements from the injured list soon. Jorge Polanco signed a two-year, $40 million contract over the offseason to help with 1B/designated hitter duties, and his return is around the corner. Francisco Alvarez's eventual comeback will also impact the DH situation, leaving one fewer spot for Clifford to pounce on.

Clifford has also played right and left field this season, but there's no chance the Mets would want to start him over Benge and Juan Soto.

Verdict

In other words, Clifford might need some help if he hopes to play for the Mets this season. Vientos will need to be traded (which isn't guaranteed to happen), and it might even take Polanco and/or Alvarez being sidelined again for an opportunity to arise—especially if New York's No. 3 prospect doesn't pick up steam soon.

Taking the above into consideration, a post-trade deadline/September call-up is the likeliest scenario for Clifford. He'll need a combination of improved play and potential roster moves to open that door, leaving it to time to tell whether his outlook will improve—by his own means or otherwise—before the 2026 season ends.