Lowrie Has Begun Throwing and Hitting

Recently-sidelined Mets’ infielder Jed Lowrie has begun throwing and hitting, says team general manager Brodie Van Wagenen.

“He’s been hitting in the cages both right and left-handed,” Van Wagenen told reporters this afternoon. “We’re going to try to build that up as the days go forward.”

Lowrie, 34 going on 35, had complained of soreness in his left knee upon arriving at camp in late-February and was diagnosed with a capsule sprain a few days after. He had told reporters last Thursday that he expected to resume baseball activity in the near future.

The news comes just a few days after a similar announcement regarding corner infielder Todd Frazier, who has progressed steadily in his rehab off an oblique strain. It remains unclear if either veteran will be healthy in time for Opening Day, though this would appear to be an encouraging development in that it negates (at least for the time being) concern about either player missing extensive time.

The switch-hitter, who is expected to assume duties primarily at third base in 2019, signed to a two-year $20MM contract on January 10 off the heels of a remarkable year with the Oakland Athletics in which he played 157 games while hitting .267/.353/.448 with a career-high 23 homers and 99 runs batted in.

He has played just 15 total games at the hot corner since 2016, but has graded out as an above-average defender since he first moved away from the shortstop position in 2015. He has struggled with lower-body injuries since he first signed with Oakland in 2016, but had been on an upward trajectory health-wise prior to his knee ailments in a Met uniform.