One of the many bright spots for the Mets on Tuesday night was the return of Michael Cuddyer, who went 2-for-4 with two runs scored including the first run to put the team up 1-0 in the sixth. He showed no ill effects with his knee as he raced home from second base and scored on a Ruben Tejada RBI single.
Cuddyer later stunned everyone when he singled and stole second base in the eighth inning, advancing all the way to third base on an errant throw. He would come around to score in what ended up being a late three-run rally for the Mets.
“The knee felt fine,” said Cuddyer who didn’t hide his feelings about his reduced role. “As an athlete, you either can or you can’t play. When I can play, everything is good. We’ll leave it at that.”
“It felt good to be back out there, the knee felt fine,” Cuddyer said. “It felt nice to be able to contribute on the field, rather than as a cheerleader the past couple weeks.”
I’m sure Cuddyer went out there with something to prove last night, and I get where he’s coming from. But it’s important to note that every game is a big game for the New York Mets from here on out and nobody knows that better than manager Terry Collins.
On Monday he had to inform Cuddyer – the fifth highest paid player on the team – that he will now be relegated to the short end of a platoon role and a right-handed bat off the bench.
“Um, he’s going to play as much as we can get him out there, as much as we think he’s going to help us,” Collins said. “But I wouldn’t say he’s the primary guy at the moment. He’s a piece like everybody else is.”
“We’re going to play the best guys that can help us win on a nightly basis — whoever that may be,” Collins added. “We’re just going to put together the lineup that we think is going to give us the best chance.”
Cuddyer, who’s hitting .253 with eight home runs and 30 RBI this season, is set to earn $12.5 million in 2016.
