Jeff McNeil is headed to the injured list with a fractured list, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza announced Saturday. The injury is expected to take 4-6 weeks to heal, Mendoza said, which likely ends his season barring a deep playoff run.
McNeil was hit by a pitch on his right wrist in the fifth inning of Friday’s game vs. the Cincinnati Reds. He stayed in the game to play the field in the top of the sixth, but was pinch hit for by Harrison Bader in the bottom half of the inning.
Jeff McNeil. Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
McNeil said he didn’t think much of it when he got hit, and was “95% sure” it hit the guard he was wearing.
“Didn’t hurt that bad at all, especially running the bases,” McNeil told reporters Saturday. “And then, started to feel a little bit warming up the next inning just throwing the ball to first base. And then that double play ball, I threw it to first, didn’t hurt that bad. Threw it, thought nothing of it really, but got to the dugout and wanted to make sure I could swing. That was kind of the main thing. Went in the cage and it just didn’t feel good to swing, so. It was more that turning over motion, made it flare up.”
McNeil stated he was frustrated and didn’t want to end the season hurt as he did last year. The lefty-bat spent the final handful of games last season on the IL with a left elbow sprain.
“If you see me on the field, that’s a really good thing,” McNeil said. “That means we’re deep in the playoffs.”
The Mets will play shorthanded today, Mendoza said, and they will discuss who to call up for tomorrow’s game. Luisangel Acuña is among those being considered.
Acuña, 22, is hitting .263/.304/.365 (a .669 OPS) over 125 games with seven home runs, 33 extra-base hits, and 38 stolen bases in 51 attempts for Triple-A Syracuse. He is 5-for-23 in five games in September and is hitting .251 with a .610 OPS since the start of July. He has played shortstop, second base, and center field this season.
Luke Ritter, 27, is another option. Ritter is hitting .262/.375/.506 (a .881 OPS) over 121 games with 26 home runs and 51 extra-base hits for Syracuse. He is 6-for-18 with a home run and five walks in five games in September and is hitting .288 with a .943 OPS since the start of July. He has played first base, second base, third base, and left field this season.
Ritter or Acuña are probably the most likely to receive a call-up, but veteran infielders Yolmer Sánchez and Mike Brosseau could be options as well. Drew Gilbert could even be a remote possibility, but that would leave the Mets with only Pablo Reyes as infield depth behind the starting four of Pete Alonso, Jose Iglesias, Francisco Lindor, and Mark Vientos. It would also add Gilbert to what is already a crowded outfield mix.
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