Darren Roof named her Mets

port st. LUCY, Fla. — The Mets on Monday named veteran Darren Roof for assignment before the start of the regular season, ending the last competition in camp. Instead of considering Roof as the designated right-handed hitter option, a source told MLB.com, the Mets were assigned to carry fast fifth outfielder Tim Locastro.

The club also selected right-handed Tommy Hunter to its major league roster.

Roof, 36, batted just . 152/. 216/. 197 with no home runs after coming to the Mets in a trade with the Giants last August. The team gave up four players to get him, including JD Davis, who produced an . 857 OPS after the trade, and prospect Thomas Szapucki, who posted a 1.98 ERA as a reliever.

The Mets didn’t do much to address the DH situation over the winter, however, bringing Ruf back to serve as right half on a platoon with Daniel Vogelbach. He reported to camp nursing his right wrist, which was the result of arthritis. 167/.265/.233 in 11 spring games.

However, Mets teams in the past may have held Roof on the Opening Day roster because of the $3.25 million they still owe him. The complicating factor has become Locastro, a 30-year-old veteran who offers something different: notably high speed. Over 23 appearances in the spring, Locastro stole six bases without being caught, taking advantage of Major League Baseball’s newest and greatest bases. He also produced a .907 OPS.

Locastro stole 39 bases in 44 attempts over the course of his six-year big league career.

Carrying Locastro in place of Ruf allows the Mets to begin free agent signing Tommy Pham each time the team plays a left-handed pitcher. It also gives them the advantage of using Locastro off the bench for running or defensive assist opportunities late in games.