Ruben Tejada continued to swing a hot bat on Monday night, going 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored.
He is now 8-for-17 with four RBI over his last four games since starting at third base.
After the game manager Terry Collins told reporters that he doesn’t want Tejada to view this as a last chance to prove he’s an everyday player. (New York Post)
“I don’t think it’s his last shot — he’s 25 years old,” Collins said. “I do believe it’s important he reestablish himself as a quality major league player, and I think he’s doing that. He’s had a couple of rough years and he needs to establish himself as that guy people can rely on.”
June 1
Nobody knows how long David Wright is going to remain out with his spinal stenosis, but as of right now utility infielder Ruben Tejada has seized the moment prompting Terry Collins to proclaim him the Mets third baseman.
Tejada was the difference in Sunday’s 4-3 win against the Marlins when he launched an RBI double late in the game to break the 3-3 deadlock. It capped of a productive weekend for Tejada who went 5-for-12 with four runs batted in.
According to Newsday, before the series started, Collins told Tejada: “Listen, at no other time the past couple of years did we need you more than we do right now. We’re struggling here. We don’t know when we’re getting David back. You know how to play at this level. You’ve shown it. We need you.”
Asked if Tejada is now the team’s third baseman, Collins responded, “Right now he is. He’s earned it. He can do a lot of things when he’s playing well. Right now, he’s playing well.”
Which one of you saw this coming? 🙂
May 31
After another Mets loss to the division rival Miami Marlins on Saturday (9-5), one of the few bright spots in that game was Ruben Tejada. He started at third base and went 2-for-4 including a bases clearing double that drove in three runs to tie the game at 5-5 in the 4th inning.
“With men in scoring position, I go aggressive every time,” Tejada said. “Sometimes you only have one pitch to hit.”
Mets third basemen had gone 0-for-33 until Tejada started at the hot corner on Friday. Tejada has at least one hit in 4 of the last 5 games he’s played and raised his average from .215 to .245.
Tejada has mainly been a reserve this season for the Mets, but with David Wright probably out for awhile and the fact that Tejada can play multiple infield positions and is swinging a hot bat, expect him to get more starts for the Mets as long as he keeps hitting.
