MIAMI — It’s shifting and shaking season in Major League Baseball, and on Friday the Mets’ clubhouse acquired a minor pre-deadline earthquake.
Four days forward of the Aug. 2 commerce deadline, the Mets welcomed Tyler Naquin to the clubhouse. But, as supervisor Buck Showalter has been saying for weeks, an addition additionally means some subtraction.
To make room for Naquin, the Mets designated Travis Jankowski for task. The group’s consummate dust canine all season, Jankowski was the person Showalter referred to as on at any time when he wanted a pinch runner or late-game defensive substitution within the outfield. Jankowski began his Mets profession with 9 hits in his first 25 at-bats however since then has gone 0-for-29. Showalter was requested about having that troublesome dialog with Jankowski, who now has seven days to both be traded or claimed off waivers.
“I have a soft spot for anyone who’s wearing our uniform,” the veteran supervisor mentioned. “In the next 72 hours we’ll have a better idea of what direction his career and life takes. We hope it’s with us again. He made some good contributions, but we’re also excited about Tyler.”
Naquin met his new teammates and took his first spherical of batting observe in Mets’ gear. He was not within the beginning lineup on Friday however was obtainable to come back off the bench.
“It’s another opportunity to be on a good ball club,” mentioned Naquin, who was watching TV when he needed to scramble, pack all the things up, and report back to his new employer. “It’s fun, exciting news. It’s been a whirlwind for the last couple hours. It was definitely out of the blue.”
The elephant within the room is Eduardo Escobar and his .668 OPS in a league the place the typical is .708. Adding one other outfielder means Jeff McNeil most likely sees little or no time on the market anymore, permitting Luis Guillorme to proceed his breakout season with constant reps at third base. Guillorme has performed a variety of second base with McNeil within the outfield, leaving Escobar within the lineup because the on a regular basis third baseman. In idea, the Mets can now give Escobar the quantity of enjoying time a .668 OPS deserves.
“I think because of the versatility of Jeff, the versatility of Luis, and the versatility, quite frankly, of Escobar, it allows us to move some pieces around,” Showalter mentioned. “It’s not just pure matchups, but also when somebody needs a day. I’ll make use of the skills of our players and see what fits best that night for our team.”
SMITH TO THE IL
Drew Smith has a proper lat pressure, and Billy Eppler is a person in want of some aid assist.
Outside of the veteran huge three — Edwin Diaz, Adam Ottavino and Seth Lugo — Smith has been the Mets’ most dependable reliever. But now that he’s on the 15-day injured record (retroactive to July 25), the necessity solely intensifies. Showalter mentioned he hopes the damage will not be long run, and he might be again this season, however the group additionally needs to watch out.
“I know it’s more than two weeks,” Showalter recognized. “He was just playing catch in Jeremy [Hefner’s] program and said that it was really tight. When he got the imaging, it showed up to be a little worse than we had hoped.”
OTHER BULLPEN UPDATES
With Smith on the IL, plus one other roster transfer that got here down on Friday, the Mets are literally with out two of their bullpen arms from earlier within the week. David Peterson was additionally optioned to Triple-A. He was final seen giving up two fast runs to the Yankees within the Subway Series finale when Showalter inserted him in an unfamiliar, eighth inning spot on two days’ relaxation.
The minor-league demotion will enable Peterson to make a begin on Sunday for Syracuse, which units him as much as come again and begin one of many video games within the Mets’ doubleheader on Saturday, Aug. 6.
The Smith and Peterson replacements are lefty reliever Sam Clay — a waiver pickup hanging out in Triple-A — and Stephen Nogosek, the mustached man who solely allowed one run in 12.2 innings throughout his transient spell on the foremost league roster earlier this 12 months.
Trevor May is scheduled to throw in back-to-back rehab video games on Saturday and Sunday for Syracuse. Showalter thinks he may rejoin the Mets on Wednesday. Whenever the group will get Tylor Megill again from his shoulder damage, Showalter expects him to work as a reliever. Megill was shut down after his final big-league look on June 16 and has not made any minor league rehab outings but.
DEGROM IN D.C.
Jacob deGrom is meant to throw on Tuesday. Where that can happen will not be set in stone, however everybody even loosely affiliated with the Mets is hoping it’s in opposition to the Nationals in D.C.
“We’ll see how things go between now and then,” mentioned Showalter, who continues to be working beneath the concept that the subsequent time deGrom pitches in knowledgeable recreation, it is going to be within the majors. “He’s on schedule to make a start next week.”
The visiting clubhouse at LoanDepot Park has a locker for deGrom, and Showalter shared that he’s staying on the group resort. The star pitcher skilled leg cramps in his final rehab begin on Wednesday which precipitated a dip in velocity. Showalter categorized it as a non-issue.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com