Before Saturday’s game between the Mets and the Toronto Blue Jays, manager Carlos Mendoza spoke to the media and gave some updates on a few injured players.
The skipper said that Jeff McNeil (oblique) and Francisco Alvarez (hand) were scheduled to take batting practice outside at Citi Field before the game, but because of the inclement weather that plan was scrapped.
“We gotta see a few days of him taking BP on the field and maybe facing some velo machine on the field before we can decide when he can start playing some games,” Mendoza said about McNeil specifically. “So far [he’s] feeling good and we’ll see how it goes.”
McNeil suffered a low-grade oblique strain on March 13 and recently began swinging a bat as he begins his comeback.
Alvarez required surgery on his left hand because of a fractured hamate bone on March 9 and was expected to miss six to eight weeks which means the catcher could still rejoin the team before the end of April.
Ronny Mauricio is further behind in his recovery process, however Mendoza did provide a positive update for the youngster.
“He continues to do his progression in Florida, he continues with his recovery,” Mendoza said. “Within a few days we’ll see the next steps of him playing in simulated games in extended spring training. So he’s reaching the point where we’ll push him to start his season. For the time being, he’s progressing how we want him to.”
The infielder hasn’t played since suffering a torn ACL in winter ball before the start of last season but New York expects him to be ready at some point this season and can potentially be an option at second base and/or third base.
In limited time in the big leagues, Mauricio slashed .248/.296/.347 with two home runs and seven steals after debuting in 2023.
As for Saturday’s second baseman, Brett Baty, who has gotten off to a slow start after a stellar spring training won him a spot on the Opening Day roster, Mendoza believes it’s still early in the season and isn’t overly concerned about the 25-year-old’s lack of success.
“Not getting results early, but I feel like he hit a couple of balls hard in Houston,” the skipper said. “In general, the conviction when he’s getting pitches to hit, like putting his A swing on it, not chasing as much which I feel like at times he’s gone out of the strike zone. But it’s early, few at bats, he’s just gotta get going here and he will.”
Baty, 1-for-14 so far this season, is batting seventh in the lineup with New York facing former Met and right-hander Chris Bassitt.
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