By Tim Ryder
The New York Mets could be welcoming two key cogs back into the fold before the season concludes on Sunday versus Atlanta.
Reliever Robert Gsellman (partially torn right lat) and bench player Dominic Smith (stress fracture left foot) both took substantial steps toward their respective returns ahead of Monday’s series opener at Citi Field, partaking in live batting practice before the team faces Miami.
Tim Healey of Newsday reported on Gsellman’s rehab schedule on Sunday, relaying the 26-year-old right-hander’s warning to his teammates that he’d “carve them up like turkeys on Thanksgiving”.
Anthony DiComo of MLB.com shares that Smith, 24, “is scheduled to have a follow-up CT scan on Wednesday”, adding “if that comes back clean, the Mets could activate him then”.
Gsellman owns a 4.66 ERA (4.13 FIP) over 52 appearances in 2019, striking out 60 with 23 walks. He’s been shelved since Aug 12 with what was originally diagnosed as tricep soreness. There’s been no update on Gsellman’s timetable for a potential return.
Smith came on strong in 2019, making the most of his sporadic playing time with a .278/.352/.506 slash line, 10 homers, 10 doubles, and a career-high 9.7% walk rate over 196 plate appearances. The former first-round draft pick has been on the IL since July 27.
We’ll keep you posted as more information becomes available.
