Utility player Joey Wendle will play second base in his New York Mets debut on Thursday against the Washington Nationals at Clover Park. Wendle has been dealing with right shoulder soreness and is expected to play four or five innings in his debut.
The Mets gave Wendle a one-year, $2 million deal this offseason to be a depth piece across the infield. The 33-year-old had a rough season in 2023, posting just a 50 OPS+ in 318 plate appearances with the Miami Marlins.
Another offseason acquisition will make his Mets debut on Thursday, reliever Shintaro Fujinami. The right-hander was away from the club over the past week to clear up a visa issue. The Mets signed Fujinami to a one-year, $3.35 million deal to battle for a spot in the bullpen. Fujinami regularly hits 99-100 mph with his fastball and was much better with the Orioles last year (4.85 ERA, 4.13 FIP) than he was with the A’s (8.57 ERa, 4.90 FIP).
The Nationals vs Mets game will begin at 6:10 p.m. ET tonight on SNY.
Jeff McNeil tweaked his left bicep last week and has yet to play in a Grapefruit League game this year. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza says McNeil will start swinging a bat on Saturday. On Friday, McNeil will play defense only in a minor league game.
