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Brandon Nimmo Nearing Return

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Injured Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo could rejoin the club “by the end of the week,” Mike Puma of the New York Post relays. In the meantime, he’ll try to play consecutive full rehab games at Triple-A Syracuse.

Nimmo entered the year as an integral piece for the Mets, but he has since underperformed while dealing with a bulging disc in his neck. The 26-year-old only batted .200/.344/.323 (87 wRC+) with three home runs in 161 plate appearances before going on the injured list on May 22. Just last season, Nimmo slashed .263/.404/.483 (149 wRC+) and swatted 17 HRs in 535 PA to serve as one of the majors’ premier hitters and seemingly establish himself as one of New York’s top players.

To the Mets’ credit, they’ve certainly survived without Nimmo. The team has overcome no shortage of adversity in recent weeks to climb back into the National League wild-card race. Although the Mets are coming off a three-game sweep at the hands of the division-rival Braves, they’re still 67-63 and within a manageable two games of the NL’s second wild-card spot. The Mets are in this position thanks in part to outfielders J.D. Davis, Michael Conforto, Jeff McNeil and Dominic Smith. But McNeil’s also needed in the infield, while the injured Smith hasn’t played in a month, which could make Nimmo an important reinforcement for the Mets as they try to break a two-year playoff drought.

Edwin Diaz Likely To Avoid Injured List With Trapezius Injury

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Sunday: Manager Mickey Callaway told reporters, including Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, today that Díaz is “slightly improved.” He’s unavailable for today’s series finale against Atlanta, but he should avoid a trip to the injured list.

Saturday: After Mets closer Edwin Diaz was removed from tonight’s 9-5 loss to the Atlanta Braves, manager Mickey Callaway indicated post-game that the embattled pitcher was dealing with “trap” tightness. When asked by Anthony DiComo of MLB.com if Diaz’s ailment was serious enough to necessitate a trip to the injured list, Callaway could only offer that it was “really hard to say” (link).

In speaking with Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News about the injury, Diaz struck the tone of an athlete frustrated by near season-long turmoil: “That’s the first time it’s happened,” Diaz said. “I don’t understand why it happened. Yesterday I felt good. When I felt like I was starting to finally get it going, something like this happens.”

It’s easy to feel sympathy for the 25-year-old hurler, who has posted the worst results of his career in 2019 after being propped up as something of a savior for the beleaguered Mets bullpen. In his final pre-arb campaign, Diaz has posted a 5.55 ERA (3.33 xFIP) through 48.2 innings. Public calls to remove Diaz from closing duties have reached near-cacophony at various points this year, but Callaway, perhaps realizing that the righty maintains solid underlying peripherals (16.2% SwStr rate and 14.79 K/9 rate), has maintained faith to this point.

If Diaz does indeed miss games, Seth Lugo would seem to be the logical choice for fill-in duties as the team seeks to gain ground in the NL Wild Card race–a race in which they are only 2.0 games back from first. Lugo has already chipped in 3 saves this year and had a 2.65 ERA as recently as Aug. 14–a date on which he was drubbed for 5 runs by the Braves. Since then, Lugo has compiled five consecutive scoreless innings, dialing back this season’s ERA figure to a tidy 3.14 in 63.0 innings.

Mets Designate Aaron Altherr For Assignment

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The Mets have designated outfielder Aaron Altherr for assignment, Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News reports.

It’ll be the fourth designation this season for Altherr, who was outrighted by New York in June after being cut loose by the Phillies and Giants earlier in the campaign. It’s been a season to forget for the 28-year-old, who’s slashed an ugly .082/.136/.164 (-22 wRC+) in 64 plate appearances. He did show signs of life in a brief stint with Triple-A Syracuse, slashing .274/.384/.565 in 73 plate appearances with the club.

It’s been a rollercoaster career for the longtime Phillie, who’s alternated sturdily productive seasons (2015, 2017) with outright dreadful ones (2016, ’18, and ’19) since his debut late in 2014.  Altherr still boasts a mostly even split vs righties and lefties over the course of his big-league tenure, so he’ll mostly need to work on cutting down the strikeouts if he’s to stick as a bench option at the MLB level.

Mets Sign Nick Rumbelow

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The Mets signed right-handed reliever Nick Rumbelow out of the independent Atlantic League this week, per an announcement from his now-former team: the Sugar Land Skeeters. He’ll head to New York’s Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse and give the club some additional depth in the ’pen.

Rumbelow, 28 early next month, was released by the Mariners earlier this season on the heels of a disastrous performance at the Triple-A level. The former Yankees prospect pitched to an 8.17 ERA with a 22-to-15 K/BB ratio and two hit batters in 25 2/3 innings of work before being cut loose. However, whatever difficulties he had locating the ball in Tacoma have been largely remedied in his brief stop on the indie circuit. In 22 1/3 Atlantic League innings, Rumbelow posted a tiny 0.81 ERA with a brilliant 31-to-3 K/BB ratio.

Rumbelow also struggled in 17 2/3 MLB innings with the Mariners in 2018, but his numbers in Sugar Land are more in line with the sharp results he posted in Triple-A last year (17 2/3 innings, 2.04 ERA, 25 strikeouts, eight walks) and with the Yankees in 2017 (29 innings, 0.62 ERA, 30 strikeouts, eight walks). The righty’s career has been slowed by injuries, most notably including Tommy John surgery that effectively wiped out his entire 2016 season.

The Mets have been turning over the bullpen a bit with their recent signing of Brad Brach and the return of Paul Sewald (as Tim Peterson was designated for assignment for a second time this season). Right-hander Robert Gsellman, meanwhile, appears unlikely to return to the Mets in 2019 after reportedly being diagnosed with a partial lat tear. There’s no guarantee Rumbelow will get a look at the big league level, but rosters are set to expand next weekend.

Latest On Jeff McNeil, Marcus Stroman

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Mets infielder/outfielder Jeff McNeil started a rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday, Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News reports. McNeil went to the injured list Aug. 14 with a hamstring strain, making him eligible to return Saturday. It’s not clear whether he’ll come back this weekend, though, as the Mets first “want to see him ranging and running down balls just to make sure he’s totally healthy,” according to manager Mickey Callaway. Meanwhile, although right-hander Marcus Stroman left his start early on Wednesday with left hamstring tightness, he doesn’t expect to miss any time (via Tim Britton of The Athletic). “I’m going to make that start against the Cubs on Tuesday,” Stroman said of his next scheduled outing.

  • More from Zuckerman, who observes that the Nationals’ signing of Asdrubal Cabrera has worked out brilliantly for the club. The Nationals brought in Cabrera on a low-paying deal Aug. 5 after the Rangers released the 33-year-old infielder, who underwhelmed in Texas over the season’s first few months. However, since joining the Nats, Cabrera has slashed .324/.422/.622 with a pair of home runs over a small sample of 45 plate appearances. Cabrera attributes some of his success to hitting coach Kevin Long, whom he has reunited with in Washington after the two were with the Mets from 2015-17. “He knows me,” Cabrera said. “I played for him two years, and he knows when my swing is good or when it’s not.”

Mets Designate Ruben Tejada

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The Mets announced today that they have designated infielder Ruben Tejada for assignment. He’ll make way for righty Chris Flexen, who was recalled.

Tejada’s latest stint with the New York org has to this point been a feel-good reunion story. But the 29-year-old has only been given nine plate appearances over his brief time in the big leagues and hasn’t yet reached base.

It’s possible Tejada will remain with the Mets, but that won’t be up to the team. Every other team in baseball will have a shot at claiming him. If he clears waivers, Tejada will have the right to elect free agency.

Despite a scant recent track record in the majors — he was last a notable contributor in 2015 — Tejada has shown a bit of a spark this year in the upper minors. Over 304 Triple-A plate appearances leading up to his promotion, he slashed a hefty .330/.408/.476 with six long balls.

Amed Rosario's Breakout Year

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  • The Mets’ surge into wild card contention has been aided by a hot streak from Amed Rosario, who has hit .367/.403/.527 over his last 181 plate appearances.  Long considered one of baseball’s best prospects, Rosario is breaking out in his third MLB season and establishing himself as a major cornerstone piece in the Mets’ present and future plans, Newsday’s David Lennon writes.  Before Rosario’s bat came alive, the biggest question facing his season was whether or not he’d remain at shortstop, as the Mets were considering using him as a center fielder back in June.  While Rosario’s defensive numbers aren’t good (minus-14 Defensive Runs Saved, minus-2.5 UZR/150), there is a sense he has improved his glovework as of late, and Lennon notes that “we get the sense that conversation is over” about a position change.

Marcus Stroman Leaves Game With Hamstring Tightness

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  • Mets starter Marcus Stroman left today’s start against the Indians after just four innings because of left hamstring tightness. Tim Healey of Newsday has an update, with Stroman undergoing an MRI that showed no reason for concern. Indeed, it’s only hamstring tightness for the new Met, who has now made four starts with his new club. All indications are that the injury is nothing serious, so it seems as though Stroman should be good to go for his next start.

Mets Notes: Rajai Davis, Lockett, Pounders, Nimmo, Lowrie

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While dealing with the news that Robert Gsellman is likely done for the year, the Mets have made another roster move. Veteran Rajai Davis was added to the 25-man roster, tweets The Athletic’s Tim Britton. Signed to a minor-league deal, the 38-year-old Davis hit .287/.334/.410 in 84 games for Triple-A Syracuse. This will be his second stint with the team this season after appearing in four games in late May, which included a big pinch-hit, three-run home run to down the Nationals on May 22nd. Let’s check in on a corresponding move, as well as some injury updates coming out of Queens…

  • Recently-added Walker Lockett will return to Triple-A. Lockett, 25, did not make an appearance in this most recent stint in New York. His last appearance was a start on August 5th at Citi Field. He gave up 4 earned runs in 4 2/3 innings in a 5-4 team win over the Marlins. Brooks Pounders was designated for assignment in order to add Davis to the 40-man roster, per Newsday’s Tim Healey (via Twitter). Pounder, 28, has been around the block the last few years, but never making more than 14 big league appearances in a season. Employed by the Royals, Angels, Rockies, and now Mets, he’s racked up an 8.47 ERA/6.14 FIP across 45 career appearances since his debut in 2015.
  • In rehab news, outfielder Brandon Nimmo is on his way to Triple-A Syracuse for a rehab assignment, per SNY.tv’s Danny Abriano. Citi Field should be the next stop for Nimmo if all goes well these next few days. He’s been out since May 21st with stiffness in his neck and back, but just finished a successful 5-game warmup in High-A. It’s been a lost season for Nimmo, who appeared on the cusp of stardom after a 4.5 fWAR 2018 in which he hit .263/.404/.483 in 140 games. The power evaporated from Nimmo’s game this season (.219 ISO to .123 ISO), but his approach remained laudable, and he is also working through a fairly significant year-over-year drop in BABIP (from .351 to .288).
  • Nimmo’s return could mean Davis’ stay in New York will be short. Michael Conforto and J.D. Davis aren’t going anywhere. Davis and Juan Lagares both have the right to reject a minor league assignment if they so choose, and Aaron Altherr is out of options and unlikely to pass through waivers – or at least he hasn’t yet, as before the Mets claimed him from the Giants, they had claimed him from the Phillies. Altherr, 28, may be touring the country via the waiver train, but he has yet to see much playing time – and even less success. He struck out in his sole at-bat with San Francisco, while his total line for the year is a sterling .085/.141/.169 in 64 plate appearances.
  • Jed Lowrie is also beginning a rehab assignment as the DH in High-A with Port St. Lucia tonight, per Mike Puma of the New York Post (via Twitter). Lowrie signed for two years, $20MM this offseason, but has yet to make his New York debut. It’s a shame Lowrie still isn’t ready, especially since it’s looking like Jeff McNeil might require a rehab assignment before returning to action, per SNY.tv’s Andy Martino. 

 

Robert Gsellman To Injured List With Triceps Injury

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After being generally harangued for their win-next-year approach at July’s trade deadline, the Mets have ripped off an 11-5 record this August. At 63-60, New York sits just 2.0 games back in the NL Wild Card race. But if the Mets are going to summon a truly amazing late-season turnaround, they will be doing so, at least temporarily, without the late-inning services of reliever Robert Gsellman. As a report from Newsday’s Tim Healey intimates, Gsellman has been moved to the 10-day injured list with a tight right triceps. The 10-day IL stint is retroactive to Wednesday, so Gsellman will be eligible to return next weekend when the Mets host the Braves.

As has been noted here and in most other corners of the internet, New York’s bullpen has been entirely unreliable this year, with a 5.22 collective ERA that ranks third-worst in the majors. Gsellman hasn’t exactly helped matters with consistency, as his 4.66 ERA and 4.13 FIP through 63.2 innings would indicate. The righty had been on a good run of late though, with a 2.97 ERA in his last seven appearances dating back to July 26th.

In the immediate term, the Mets will recall Walker Lockett to take Gsellman’s space on the active roster. This is Lockett’s fourth recall of the 2019 season. Dating back to last year’s debut with the Padres, Lockett has a 8.63 ERA in 32.1 innings at the game’s highest level.

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