And just like that, the Mets lose another bat. Chelsea Janes of SNY reports the Mets will place Luis Robert Jr. on the injured list on Thursday. The news comes a day after Carlos Mendoza reported Robert Jr. was day-to-day with a back issue that wasn’t improving with treatment. Robert Jr. received an MRI on Wednesday and has been out of the lineup since Tuesday’s opener against the Nationals.
The Mets note Robert Jr. is dealing with “lumbar spine disc herniation.” The team recalled INF Eric Wagaman to take Robert Jr.’s spot on the roster.
Robert Jr., acquired in a trade for Luisangel Acuña, has an extensive injury history and is no stranger to the IL. He has never played in more than 145 games, which came back in 2023, and has dealt with a plethora of injuries in the past. The Mets were doing their best to manage his workload, but the outcome they hoped to avoid has unfortunately arrived.
The 28 year old was hitting .224/.327/.329 (.656 OPS) with two home runs, eight RBIs, 13 walks and 10 strikeouts before his injury.
It’s yet another blow for the 10-20 Mets, who hold the worst score in the NL East and in all of baseball entering Thursday’s game. The team already has Francisco Lindor and Jorge Polanco on the IL with a calf strain and Achilles and wrist injury, respectively. While there is no timetable on Lindor’s return, Janes reports Polanco has been making progress and can return sooner rather than later. Polanco has been out since mid-April.
The Mets’ outfield depth on the 26-man roster consists of Juan Soto, Carson Benge, Tyrone Taylor, Brett Baty, MJ Melendez and Austin Slater.
In other roster moves, the Mets also designated RHP Carl Edwards Jr. for assignment and recalled RHP Austin Warren.
