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Mets Place Jonathan Villar On 10-Day Injured List, Recall Travis Blankenhorn

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The Mets placed infielder Jonathan Villar on the 10-day injured list with a sore right calf, per MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo (via Twitter). In a corresponding move, Travis Blankenhorn has been recalled from Triple-A. The Mets officially made the move after game one of today’s doubleheader against the Phillies.

Villar was somewhat of an afterthought as a winter addition this past offseason, but injuries to Jeff McNeil and J.D. Davis thrust Villar into a central role. Villar has started 47 of the Mets’ 70 games, mostly at third base, a position he hadn’t played since 2016. He’s been passable defensively, if not exactly a revelation with -2 Outs Above Average and -1 Defensive Runs Saved. Villar has long been considered a subpar defender, though capable enough and versatile, which is more or less exactly what he’s been on that end for the Mets this season.

Where Villar typically hopes to add the most value is on the offensive end. He’s delivered with a .246/.333/.410 line through 208 plate appearances, good for a 110 wRC+. Villar’s bat will be missed, though McNeil’s recent return should provide enough thump to maintain the status quo – if not improve upon it.

Luis Guillorme will likely take on some of Villar’s responsibilities. Despite a mark of -3 DRS in just 72 2/3 innings at third base this season, Guillorme is considered to be a glove-first contributor who should ultimately bolster the Mets’ defense in Villar’s absence. He doesn’t, however, offer as much with the bat. That said, he’s certainly been decent enough with a career 99 wRC+ and 118 wRC+ mark in 62 plate appearances this year.

Blankenhorn, 24, could also be an option. The well0-traveled Blankenhorn has often seen his name scrawled across the MLBTR pages this season. Since being recalled to the Twins active roster on April 20th, Blankenhorn was optioned, designated for assignment, claimed by the Dodgers, designated for assignment, claimed by the Mariners, optioned, DFA’d again, claimed by the Mets, and optioned again. The Pennsylvania native made a pretty good argument for keeping him permanently on the Mets roster, however, by slashing .389/.538/.944 in 26 plate appearances spanning seven games for the Syracuse Mets.

 

Mets Claim Chance Sisco

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The Mets have claimed catcher Chance Sisco off waivers from the Orioles, per team announcements from both clubs. The Orioles had designated him for assignment last week. The Mets moved J.D. Davis to the 60-day injured list to clear a roster spot for Sisco, who has been optioned to Triple-A Syracuse for the time being.

Today’s claim brings to an end Sisco’s tenure with the Orioles, who selected him in the second round of the 2013 draft. The left-handed hitting backstop raked up through Double-A over the next few seasons, eventually earning himself a place on top prospect lists. Baseball America ranked Sisco among the back half of the league’s top 100 minor league talents entering the 2017 and 2018 campaigns, with the expectation that Sisco would cement himself as a bat-first regular behind the dish.

To this point, however, Sisco hasn’t carried that offensive promise over to the highest level. He tallied 598 major league plate appearances with Baltimore over the past five seasons, managing just a cumulative .199/.319/.339 line. He’s popped sixteen home runs and walked at a strong 10.2% clip, but Sisco has become increasingly strikeout prone as he’s climbed to the highest level. He’s gone down on strikes in 32.3% of his MLB plate appearances. Advanced defensive metrics have panned his work behind the plate, which was also a concern for some scouts as he worked his way up the ladder.

While Sisco hasn’t yet proven a valuable big leaguer, there’s little harm for the Mets in placing a claim on an obviously talented player. He’s still just 26 years old and has a decent .264/.352/.421 slash line in 805 career plate appearances at Triple-A. As mentioned, he can also be optioned for the remainder of the year, so the Mets can keep him in Syracuse as high minors’ depth if he remains on the 40-man roster all season.

Davis’ transfer to the 60-day IL is largely a procedural move. It rules him out for 60 days from the time of his initial IL placement (May 3). He’ll be eligible to return on July 1. General manager Zack Scott told reporters (including Tim Britton of the Athletic) earlier this week that Davis could embark on a minor league rehab assignment within a week or two.

Mets Purchase Vance Worley’s Contract

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The Mets have purchased the contract of right-hander Vance Worley from the independent Kane County Cougars, as announced yesterday via the Cougars’ official Twitter feed.  Worley will report to the Mets’ Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse.

This is Worley’s second stint in the Mets organization, as he signed a minor league deal with the team back in April 2018.  He didn’t see any big league action, however, and ended up being released just two months later after elbow problems limited him to just 16 2/3 innings of work with the Mets’ Triple-A team.  That represented Worley’s last bit of on-field action until his work with Kane County this year, as a deal with the independent Somerset Patriots in 2020 fell through after the pandemic canceled the Patriots’ season.

Worley posted a 4.09 ERA/4.23 SIERA over 667 career innings with five different teams from 2010-17.  The 33-year-old is probably best remembered for his career-opening three-year stint with the Phillies, which included a third-place finish in NL Rookie Of The Year voting in 2011.  Never a hard thrower or a big strikeout pitcher, Worley nevertheless lasted eight years in the majors by keeping batters off-balance with a four-pitch (and occasionally even a five-pitch) arsenal.

With the Mets currently shorthanded by a number of pitching injuries, there’s little harm for the club in picking up a veteran arm for some extra depth.  It remains to be seen if Worley will actually get a call back to the Show, as it is possible Marcus Stroman’s recent hip issue won’t be serious enough to merit an IL trip or even a missed start.

Mets Activate Michael Conforto, Select Corey Oswalt

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The Mets announced a series of roster moves before this evening’s game against the Braves. As expected, outfielder Michael Conforto has been activated from the injured list. He is in tonight’s lineup, hitting third while playing right field. Right-handers Tylor Megill (previously reported) and Corey Oswalt have been officially selected to the roster. (Andy Martino of SNY reported that Oswalt would be promoted before the official announcement).

Righties Yennsy Díaz and Sean Reid-Foley were optioned to Triple-A Syracuse, while catcher Tomás Nido has been placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to June 22, due to a right wrist contusion. To clear 40-man roster space for Megill and Oswalt, pitchers Joey Lucchesi and Robert Gsellman were transferred from the 10-day to the 60-day injured list.

Conforto has been out since May 17 with a hamstring strain. He’ll return to the lineup for the first time in more than a month, looking to improve upon his early-season output. Conforto, who hit .261/.365/.478 between 2018-20, started this season a bit slowly by his standards. Across 135 plate appearances, the left-handed hitter managed a .230/.356/.336 line that’s been only slightly better than league average, a drop-off from his high-end production in prior years. The next few months will be pivotal for Conforto, who is scheduled to reach free agency at the end of the season.

Oswalt becomes the latest addition to a pitching staff that has been hit hard by injuries. The 27-year-old appeared for the Mets in each season from 2018-20, working to a composite 6.19 ERA/4.83 SIERA across 84 1/3 innings. He served as something of a flexible swing option, starting 13 of his 23 MLB appearances.

New York passed Oswalt through outright waivers in February, and he’s spent the 2021 season with Syracuse. He’s made six appearances, none of which has eclipsed 3 1/3 innings, working mostly as a multi-inning reliever. Given that he hasn’t really been stretched out this year, Oswalt seems more likely to serve as long relief depth than as a true starter, although it’s possible he could work as an opener or tandem starter of some sort. Megill, on the other hand, has worked as a more traditional starter in the minors and is ticketed to start tonight’s game against Atlanta.

Gsellman went on the IL with a lat strain earlier this week, and he never seemed especially likely to return anytime soon. General manager Zack Scott told reporters (including Tim Britton of the Athletic) that Gsellman won’t even begin a throwing program for at least six weeks. That likely ruled him out until late August at the earliest, so there’s little reason for the Mets not to transfer the righty to the 60-day IL with the need for 40-man roster space. Lucchesi, meanwhile, will undergo Tommy John surgery tomorrow and miss the rest of the year (and most or all of 2022).

Nido has tallied 91 plate appearances this season, hitting at a passable .238/.297/.393 clip. A recent MRI on his injured wrist didn’t reveal any structural damage, manager Luis Rojas told reporters (including Anthony DiComo of MLB.com) this afternoon. Nevertheless, it seems he’ll need a few days to recuperate. Patrick Mazeika is on hand to back up starter James McCann in the interim.

Marcus Stroman Optimistic He Can Make His Next Start

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June 23, 3:08 pm: Stroman is still dealing with soreness in his hip, but he’s hopeful he’ll be able to make his next start, manager Luis Rojas tells reporters (including Thosar).

June 23, 11:15 am: Stroman underwent an MRI today, and MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports that the imaging came back clean. There’s no structural damage for Stroman, which should rule out a lengthy absence. Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News tweets that Stroman is day-to-day.

June 22: Mets right-hander Marcus Stroman left this evening’s start against the Braves in the second inning after a visit from the trainer. The club later announced he’s dealing with left hip soreness. Yennsy Díaz came on in relief to replace him.

There’s no indication at this point that his departure was anything more than precautionary, but it’s nevertheless a concerning development. Given the current state of their rotation, the Mets can scarcely afford a lengthy absence from Stroman. Jacob deGrom has been otherworldly, and Taijuan Walker has been very good in his own right. Even before Stroman’s departure, though, there was plenty of uncertainty at the back of the rotation. David Peterson has struggled to a 5.31 ERA, and the final spot is already a question mark. Joey Lucchesi will undergo Tommy John surgery this week, with veteran Jerad Eickhoff and prospect Thomas Szapucki among the potential replacements. Tylor Megill, who has performed well over three starts at Triple-A Syracuse, is among the players under consideration for a promotion, reports Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (Twitter link).

At 37-30, the Mets are leading the National League East by four games. The front office looks likely to be on the hunt for starting pitching in the coming weeks, and that urgency will only be heightened if Stroman requires an IL stint. It’s also a critical year for Stroman, who is scheduled to hit free agency at season’s end after accepting an $18.9MM qualifying offer last winter. To this point, his decision to bet on himself has looked wise, as Stroman has tossed 85 2/3 innings of 2.31 ERA/3.55 FIP ball.

Mets To Select Tylor Megill

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The Mets are planning to select the contract of right-hander Tylor Megill, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com was among those to pass along. He’ll start tomorrow evening’s game against the Braves.

New York’s eighth-round pick in 2018 out of the University of Arizona, Megill entered 2021 in the back half of the Mets top thirty prospects, in the estimation of both Baseball America and Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs. He can run his fastball into the mid-high 90s, per evaluators, with generally average secondary stuff. Both BA and FanGraphs suggest Megill’s more likely to settle in as a reliever long-term, but he’ll break into the majors as a starter.

Over parts of three minor league seasons, Megill has worked to a solid 3.41 ERA with a stellar 32.1% strikeout rate and an average 8.8% walk percentage. The 25-year-old has been fantastic in the high minors this year. Between Double-A Binghamton (26 innings) and Triple-A Syracuse (14 1/3 frames), he’s worked to a 3.35 ERA with a whopping 36% strikeout rate and a better than average 7.3% walk rate. That performance has earned him his first big league call.

Megill isn’t on the 40-man roster, so the Mets will need to make a corresponding move to formally select his contract. That can be done by transferring lefty Joey Lucchesi to the 60-day injured list. Lucchesi will undergo Tommy John surgery on Thursday.

Mets Claim Robert Stock, Expected To Activate Michael Conforto Wednesday

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7:20 pm: Conforto’s absence is indeed related to contact tracing protocols at Syracuse, the club announced. He has tested negative for COVID-19 and is expected to be reinstated in advance of tomorrow evening’s game against the Braves.

5:17 pm: The Mets announced they’ve claimed right-hander Robert Stock off waivers from the Cubs. He’s been optioned to Triple-A Syracuse. Infielder Brandon Drury was also optioned, while catcher Patrick Mazeika was recalled.

Chicago just selected Stock to the big league roster last week. Generally a reliever, he made a four-inning spot start last Wednesday that ironically came against his new team. The 31-year-old allowed five runs on six walks while only striking out three, but the Mets were evidently intrigued by their then-opponent. After the Cubs designated him for assignment last weekend, New York put in a claim.

Stock has pitched to a 4.12 ERA with very strong strikeout and walk rates (30.5% and 4.9%, respectively) in Triple-A this year. He can be optioned for the rest of this season, so he’ll offer the Mets a flexible depth piece on the pitching staff.

Notably, the Mets did not reinstate outfielder Michael Conforto from the IL today. General manager Zack Scott told reporters (including Anthony DiComo of MLB.com) earlier in the day that the All-Star outfielder would return tonight. Notably, the Syracuse Mets, where Conforto had been on a rehab assignment, have since announced they’re dealing with a COVID-19 situation. It’s not clear if Conforto not being reinstated is related in any way.

Mets’ Joey Lucchesi To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

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Mets left-hander Joey Lucchesi has been diagnosed with a complete tear of the UCL in his throwing elbow, Laura Albanese of Newsday was among those to relay (Twitter link). He’ll undergo Tommy John surgery this week. Obviously, Lucchesi is done for the rest of 2021 and will miss most or all of the 2022 campaign.

New York acquired the 28-year-old from the Padres last winter as part of the three-team deal that sent Joe Musgrove to San Diego. He made eleven appearances (eight starts) in his debut campaign with the Mets, pitching to a 4.46 ERA but posting stronger underlying numbers. Lucchesi punched out an above-average 26.1% of opposing hitters while walking only 7.0%. Those positive strikeout and walk rates contributed to a much better 3.74 SIERA, his lowest mark since his 2018 rookie campaign with the Friars (when he posted a 3.64).

Today’s news isn’t unexpected, since Lucchesi was diagnosed with a significant UCL tear yesterday. It’s nevertheless a disappointing development for a New York staff that is still without Carlos Carrasco and Noah Syndergaard as they recover from long-term injuries. The Mets have gotten very strong work from Jacob deGrom, Marcus Stroman and Taijuan Walker this year, but David Peterson has struggled. Jerad Eickhoff, recently selected to the MLB roster, might be the favorite to assume Lucchesi’s spot in the rotation for now.

It remains to be seen whether this will mark the end of Lucchesi’s Mets tenure. New York can place him on the 60-day injured list for the remainder of the season, but players must be reinstated from the IL during the offseason. New York will have to decide whether it’s worth tendering Lucchesi a contract and carrying him on the 40-man roster all winter. He’ll eclipse three years of MLB service during his IL stint, so Lucchesi will be eligible for arbitration for the first time. If the Mets do tender him a contract with an eye toward a potential late-2022 or 2023 return, Lucchesi would be controllable through the end of the 2024 season.

Mets’ Joey Lucchesi Diagnosed With UCL Tear

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10:23pm: Manager Luis Rojas acknowledged after tonight’s game that surgery is a possibility for Lucchesi but said the left-hander will receive a second opinion before making a final decision (Twitter link via Newsday’s Laura Albanese).

7:34pm: Mets left-hander Joey Lucchesi, who went on the injured list this weekend, underwent an MRI and was diagnosed with a “significant” tear in his left elbow’s ulnar collateral ligament, reports Steve Gelbs of SNY (Twitter link). The Mets haven’t formally announced an update, but any UCL tear obviously comes with the possibility of Tommy John surgery. He’ll seek a second opinion before making any decisions.

In further Mets injury news, the team announced prior to the second game of today’s doubleheader that Jeurys Familia has been placed on the injured list due to a right hip impingement. That injury comes just hours after the Mets placed righty Robert Gsellman on the 10-day injured list due to a lat strain that will reportedly sideline him for up to eight weeks. Right-hander Yennsy Diaz is up from Triple-A Syracuse to take Familia’s spot on the roster. The team has not yet provided a timeline on Familia’s injury.

Lucchesi, 28, has given the Mets 38 1/3 innings of 4.46 ERA ball with a 3.40 FIP, a 26.1 percent strikeout rate and a 7.0 percent walk rate. That’s solid production from any pitcher, let alone one who was viewed as a depth option and perhaps the sixth or seventh starting pitcher on the team’s depth chart when Spring Training commenced. That performance has certainly justified the Mets’ decision to part with catching prospect Endy Rodriguez to acquire Lucchesi from the Padres as part of the three-team, Joe Musgrove trade with the Pirates. Now, however, there are considerable doubts as to just when Lucchesi will throw his next pitch.

If Lucchesi indeed requires Tommy John surgery, the procedure is coming late enough in the 2021 season that it’ll jeopardize the majority, if not the entirety, of his 2022 season.. Tommy John procedures typically come with recovery periods in the range of 12 to 16 months, and as the Mets’ own Noah Syndergaard illustrates, a straightforward year-long recovery period is not necessarily a given.

A Tommy John procedure would put the Mets in a tough spot with Lucchesi. He’ll be arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter now that he’ll close out the current season on the 60-day injured list. Any raise will be suppressed by his current injury status, of course, but they’d still need to determine whether to dedicate a 40-man spot to him all winter and pay him a raise for the 2022 season despite the possibility that he won’t pitch at all. In that scenario, they’d again be faced with the decision of whether to again dedicate an offseason 40-man spot and likely match that salary in 2023 — most arb-eligible players who miss a whole season are re-upped at the same rate for the following year — or cut bait via a non-tender.

Obviously, the hope for the Mets, Lucchesi and their fans is that he’ll somehow be able to avoid surgery and return to the mound without going under the knife. However, the report of a “significant” tear indicates that even if surgery is avoided for now, Lucchesi is likely looking at a notable shutdown.

The loss of Lucchesi in the near-term is a blow to a Mets club that has been hit hard by injuries up and down the roster. Carlos Carrasco has still yet to pitch in 2021, owing to a hamstring tear a brief elbow issue in Spring Training, while Syndergaard’s return has been pushed back by at least six weeks due to inflammation in his surgically repaired elbow. Righty Jordan Yamamoto, meanwhile, is on the 60-day injured list due to shoulder woes.

With those injuries having taken their toll, the Mets turned to former Phillies righty Jerad Eickhoff to start the nightcap of today’s twin bill. Other options on the 40-man roster include recent waiver claim Nick Tropeano and 25-year-old prospect Thomas Szapucki, who has yet to make his MLB debut.

The Mets entered the season with a fairly impressive bit of pitching depth, but that depth has obviously been tested early and often. Given the news on Lucchesi, the setbacks in the recoveries of Syndergaard and Carrasco, and the minor injury troubles that Jacob deGrom and Taijuan Walker have faced, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise to see the Mets target rotation help on the summer trade market.

Turning to Familia, his injury places a temporary hold on what was shaping up to be a solid rebound effort. While the right-hander’s 14.3 percent walk rate has been far too high, Familiar has nevertheless pitched to a 3.63 ERA with a 23 percent strikeout rate in 22 1/3 frames. He’s also generated plenty of weak contact and induced grounders at a characteristically high 58.5 percent clip, which has helped to offset the penchant for free passes. It may not be the dominant form he displayed from 2014-18, but it’s nevertheless been a nice season for the righty.

The bullpen has been one area where the Mets haven’t been bitten too hard by the injury bug, but back-to-back losses of Gsellman and Familia now threaten to begin testing the depth on that side of the pitching staff as well. The Mets are undoubtedly thankful that deGrom was able to breeze through five innings today after his own recent injury scare, but it’s still been a rough day for the pitching staff as a whole — one that could very well accelerate the team’s efforts to add from outside the organization.

Mets Activate Jeff McNeil; Robert Gsellman Out Up To Eight Weeks

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5:35pm: The outlook on Gsellman isn’t good, as SNY’s Steve Gelbs reports (via Twitter) that a tear in his lat will cause the right-hander to miss anywhere from six to eight weeks of action. That’ll sideline him well into the season’s second half.

2:19pm: As expected, the Mets activated utilityman Jeff McNeil off the 10-day IL today, so he will take Gsellman’s spot on the active roster.  McNeil has been out of action since May 17 due to a hamstring strain, and he now looks to resume his duty as New York’s regular second baseman.  The former All-Star was off to a bit of a slow start prior to his injury, with only a modest .242/.336/.374 slash line over his first 113 plate appearances.

1:20pm: The Mets will be placing right-hander Robert Gsellman on the 10-day injured list due to a right lat strain, according to SNY’s Andy Martino (via Twitter).  Gsellman last pitched on Saturday, tossing two innings as the opener in the second game of a doubleheader against the Nationals.

The injury is particularly ill-timed, as the Mets have another doubleheader today against the Braves, and then yet another doubleheader against the Phillies on Friday.  Though there is a Thursday off-day in between, the losses of both Gsellman and Joey Lucchesi to the IL within the last couple of days will leave the Mets short on pitching depth for this busy week.

Gsellman has allowed five runs over his last 4 1/3 innings of work, souring what had been a pretty solid season, out of New York’s bullpen.  The righty has a 3.71 ERA/4.47 SIERA over 26 2/3 total innings in 2021, relying on soft contact and a career-best 50.6% grounder rate to counteract a tiny 13.6% strikeout rate.  It was a nice bounce-back for Gsellman following an injury-marred 2020 that saw him post a 9.64 ERA over 14 frames.

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