Where the Mets’ 16 Injured Players Stand In Their Road to Recovery

It’s no secret the Mets have been decimated by injuries to this point, with a whopping 16 players posted up on the injured list.

However, the ReplaceMets have persevered, as going into Sunday, the team has a 3.5 lead in the National League East and own a respectable 25-20 record. With all the adversity they have faced, they have managed to stay afloat, and if they can do such until some of their injured teammates return, they will be in good shape.

With that being said, with so many men being hurt, it’s easy to forget who is out for how long and when we can expect certain players to return. So, here are the 16 injured Mets and how they are progressing in their recovery.

Dellin Betances

Dellin Betances, 33, signed a two-year deal with the Mets prior to the 2020 season, but hasn’t found the success he once had as a power arm in the Yankees’ bullpen.

The New York City native had a 7.71 ERA in 15 appearances for the Mets in the shortened 2020 season, and appeared in just one game way back on April 7 for the Amazin’s this year.

The team currently has Betances on the 60-day injured list with a right shoulder impingement. However, on May 23, Betances threw a side session as he looks to work his way back from the injury.

The concern, of course, is if and when Betances does return, if he can be effective. His fastball velocity has plummeted and he has looked like a shell of the pitcher he once was.

Carlos Carrasco

Carlos Carrasco, 34, was acquired along with shortstop Francisco Lindor in a blockbuster deal this past winter. However, the longtime starting pitcher hasn’t appeared in a game yet for the Mets, as he has been sidelined since Spring Training with a torn right hamstring.

Initially, it sounded as if Carrasco would be back around Memorial Day/early June, but three weeks ago, he was transferred to the 60-day injured list and the team is currently approaching it at a week-to-week basis.

Carrasco is signed through next season, and the Mets have a club option on the pitcher for 2023.

Tommy Hunter

Tommy Hunter, 34, has endeared himself to Mets fans so far this season with his quirky and lighthearted personality both on and off the field.

The Indiana native has risen to occasion for the Mets in every aspect they’ve needed him: as an opener, as a long man, as a middle reliever, and has even chipped in a walk and his first big league hit at the dish.

The right-hander was placed on the 10-day injured list on May 21 with lower back pain. However, on May 26, manager Luis Rojas said Hunter was in good spirits and was mobile, and that he could potentially join the team sooner rather than later.

Seth Lugo

Seth Lugo, 31, has been sidelined since before Spring Training after undergoing surgery on his elbow. However, he has ramped up his rehab and could join the team as soon as Monday when the Mets embark on a nine-game road trip, beginning in Arizona.

Lugo has allowed one run in 3.1 innings in his three rehab assignments so far, and in his most recent performance topped out at 95 mph.

“His ability to throw two innings in the middle of the game or even later — have a two-inning save — a guy like that is very valuable,” Rojas said. “It will keep guys we’ve been using a lot even fresher. He can offer so much and he can make us an even better bullpen when he joins us.”

Noah Syndergaard

Noah Syndergaard, 28, figured to be a big piece of the puzzle for the Mets in 2021, as he worked his way back from 2020 Tommy John surgery.

Syndergaard began a rehab assignment this month and was aiming for a return of early June, but after throwing just one inning in what was supposed to be a five frame appearance this past week for Single-A St. Lucie, Syndergaard was removed from the game with elbow inflammation.

While no structural damage was found, Syndergaard has been shut down from his throwing program for several weeks and if he does return this season, it likely won’t be until August at the earliest.

Jordan Yamamoto

Jordan Yamamoto, 25, started for the Mets last Sunday in Miami, but was removed from the game after a poor performance with right shoulder soreness.

The Mets placed, and subsequently moved, Yamamoto to the 60-day injured list, the latter of which occurred when the team acquired outfielder Billy McKinney from the Milwaukee Brewers several days ago.

Yamamoto now won’t be able to return until likely the beginning of August.

Pete Alonso

Like Seth Lugo, the Mets are hoping to activate Pete Alonso prior to the team’s series in Arizona that begins on Monday.

Alonso, 26, was placed on the IL with a right wrist sprain 11 days ago, an injury that was plaguing him for a couple weeks prior to being sidelined.

The Mets are hopeful that Alonso can return Monday and won’t need a rehab assignment.

For a team who are missing many of their big boppers in the lineup, getting Alonso back would be a huge boost.

“[Alonso] is trending well, he is swinging, he already faced some coaches BP and he did high [velocity] machine and checked out, everything is good,” Rojas said. “He was looking good right now. He is real excited about the results on the progression that he’s done the last couple of days.”

J.D. Davis

J.D. Davis, 28, began a rehab assignment 10 or so days ago as he worked his way back from a hand injury.

However, Davis’s rehab came to a halt when he started feeling soreness again and instead returned to New York for treatment. The hope was to have Davis start swinging a bat this weekend, but it is unclear if that happened or not.

Prior to his injury, Davis was one of the most reliable offensive players for the Mets, as he was hitting .390/.476/.610 before he was sidelined.

Luis Guillorme

Luis Guillorme, 26, was placed on the injured list over a month ago with an oblique injury.

However, the plan is for the middle infielder to soon begin a rehab assignment with the Syracuse Mets.

Guillorme has been swinging in the batting cages, and the next step is for him to swing on the field and see where things go from there.

Jeff McNeil

Jeff McNeil, 29, went down with a hamstring injury on May 24, and he is expected to miss at least a month.

An encouraging sign, however, was that McNeil was on the field on Saturday prior to the Mets’ bout with the Atlanta Braves:

This is a good sign for Jeff McNeil. 👀pic.twitter.com/2Nv5XrJxGq

— Locked On Mets (@LockedOnMets) May 29, 2021

McNeil had put up 0.8 rWAR prior to his injury.

Albert Almora Jr.

Albert Almora, 27, recently started ramping up his baseball activity as the outfielder began swinging. Currently, he is about a week away from a rehab assignment, according to manager Luis Rojas.

Almora originally hurt his shoulder earlier this month when he rammed into the outfield wall flagging down a fly ball.

 

Michael Conforto

Like McNeil, Michael Conforto has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since last weekend’s series with the Miami Marlins and likely won’t return for at least a month.

“Every time I go into the training room, they’re in the training room,” Luis Rojas said about Conforto and McNeil. They are still approaching those guys week-to-week, and they are undergoing treatment.

Johneshwy Fargas

Like Almora, Johneshwy Fargas hurt himself this past week when he hit the outfield wall hard making a catch.

Fargas suffered an AC joint sprain and is currently on the 10-day IL. There is not currently a known timetable for his return.

“I’ve been crashing into the wall a lot,” he said, “but this is the first time the wall beat me.”

José Martínez

Jose Martinez, 32, underwent knee surgery in late March and is expected to miss at least two more months, given the four month recovery timeline from the surgery.

Brandon Nimmo

Brandon Nimmo, 28, has been sidelined for nearly a month (May 5) with a nerve issue in his finger.

On May 22, however, it seemed as though Nimmo was progressing to the point of managing the pain and could soon embark on a rehab assignment. However, there hasn’t been an update since then, eight days ago.

Kevin Pillar

Kevin Pillar, 32, has become a fan favorite, after being an original member of the beloved “Bench Mob” and later a ReplaceMet.

Pillar was drilled in the face 12 days ago with a 94 mph fastball when the Mets were down in Atlanta and suffered multiple fractures, which he would later undergo surgery on.

Pillar is seemingly approaching a return and is ramping up activities, as well as finding a suitable face mask that he can play with.