The latest injury update on starting catcher Travis d’Arnaud , who was eligible to come off the disabled list on Monday, continues to be very concerning.
Speaking to reporters this evening at AT&T Park, Terry Collins said ew York Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud continues to wear a brace for a left elbow sprain and is not particularly close to being able to shed it and begin baseball activity, manager Terry Collins said Tuesday.
D’Arnaud suffered the injury applying a tag at the plate on A.J. Pierzynski in Atlanta on June 20. Initially, he was forecast to miss only the minimum 15 days on the disabled list.
D’Arnaud has been limited to 19 games this season. He spent nearly two months on the DL earlier this season with a fractured pinkie on his right hand after getting struck with a pitch.
Speaking to reporters on Friday night in Los Angeles, general manager Sandy Alderson conveyed that d’Arnaud continues to wear an elbow brace nearly 24 hours a day.
He continues to undergo physical therapy to try and improve the mobility of his elbow in both directions and has not been cleared for any baseball activity.
D’Arnaud suffered a hyper-extended his elbow during a collision at the plate with A.J. Pierzynski at Turner Field on June 20.
Alderson said that there is still no timetable for his return.
Additionally, a report in the New York Post, says the Mets have considered demoting Kevin Plawecki to Triple-A and calling up Anthony Recker as the everyday catcher.
Plawecki, 24, was thrust into the starting role when d’Arnaud was initially hurt earlier this season. In 45 games, Plawecki has really struggled, batting .222/.269/.299 with five doubles and two home runs.
Considering how little experience Plawecki had in the upper minors, it’s not hard to see why he hasn’t hit well on the big league level. While he tore up Binghamton and Las Vegas, he only played 110 games between the two levels.
In comparison, Travis d’Arnaud, even with all the injuries, played 225 games between the two levels before being called up. Plawecki was named the 63rd-best prospect in baseball by MLB.com and Baseball America, as well as 80th by Baseball Prospectus.
Recker hit .143/.276/.265 in 19 games with the Mets this season before being sent down. In three seasons with the Mets, he owns a .198/.263/.369 line with 15 home runs in 398 plate appearances.
However, Recker led the PCL with a .947 SLG percentage while hitting three home runs and driving in nine to earn Player of the Week honors.
(Updated 7/4)
