About 40 minutes from the first pitch of their series opener in Washington, DC on Tuesday, the New York Mets not only released their lineup for the evening but provided injury updates on three of their starting position players.
Jeff McNeil, who was scratched with back tightness just before Monday night’s series finale in Atlanta, shortstop Amed Rosario, and second baseman Robinson Cano all received MRI exams on Tuesday afternoon. The results were mixed.
McNeil (low-grade intercostal strain) and Rosario (left quad tightness), who exited Monday’s game after his second at-bat, are considered day-to-day.
McNeil is 11-for-his-last-25 after starting the season 1-for-10. Rosario has cooled since his hot start (6-for-21 to start the year, 4-for-20 since) but is certainly looking to continue building on his progress. The Mets could use both players back in action ASAP.
Cano, who left early Monday, as well — after going 2-for-2 with three RBIs, of course — has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a grade-two left adductor strain. He’ll be eligible to return on August 14 when the Mets begin a weekend series in Philadelphia. That can’t come soon enough.
The 37-year-old is currently hitting .412/.462/.559 (1.020 OPS ranks 15th in the National League) with a 10.3% walk rate and a 12.8% strikeout rate, and Cano’s 187 wRC+ ranks 13th in the league.
Tuesday night’s lineup features Andres Gimenez at shortstop, Brian Dozier at second base, and J.D. Davis at third. Likely not the Tuesday lineup card Rojas had in mind heading into the week, but the Mets will need to make it work to stay within arm’s reach in the NL East.
We’ll keep you posted with new information as it becomes available.
