Injuries & Moves: Guillorme optioned for Vientos
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May 17: INF Mark Vientos recalled from Triple-A Syracuse; INF Luis Guillorme optioned
To clear space for Vientos, the Mets optioned Guillorme, who has struggled at the plate this year with a .591 OPS and a 67 OPS+ in 27 games. It was a difficult conversation, manager Buck Showalter said, in part because Guillorme -- a popular clubhouse presence -- has been part of the roster for much of the past six seasons. In Guillorme's absence, Eduardo Escobar will serve as the team's emergency shortstop replacement behind Francisco Lindor.
"It's kind of the fallout of not playing as well as we need to," Showalter said. "It's not his fault completely. All of us share in some of the challenges we face."
Vientos, the Mets' No. 7 prospect, comes up for the first time this season after making his MLB debut last Sept. 11. He forced the issue in Syracuse, hitting 13 homers with a 1.104 OPS in 38 games. More >
May 16: LHP David Peterson optioned to Triple-A Syracuse; LHP Josh Walker selected
A day after Peterson allowed six earned runs in a loss to the Nationals to balloon his ERA to a league-worst 8.08, the Mets sent him to Syracuse to iron out the flaws in his game.
"I'm hoping Sunday's the start of him presenting as a better option, because we're going to need him," manager Buck Showalter said, referring to Peterson's upcoming Minor League start. "And if he doesn't get it going down there, we'll have to go in another direction. You try to be frank with him. He knows it's not good enough, especially with what he's capable of."
To replace Peterson on the active roster, the Mets recalled Walker, a one-time Top 30 prospect in the organization who has pitched sparingly due to injuries. Walker's first appearance will be his Major League debut, though Showalter indicated his stay in the Majors could be brief.
With Peterson gone from the rotation, the Mets will proceed -- at least for now -- with a starting five of Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Kodai Senga, Carlos Carrasco and Tylor Megill.
INJURY UPDATES
10-day and 15-day IL
C Tomás Nido (dry eye syndrome)
Expected return: Late May
The Mets placed Nido on the 15-day IL retroactive to May 7 with an eye issue that has caused him trouble seeing lately, especially at night. He subsequently received punctal plugs and medicated eyedrops, which are designed to block his tear ducts and keep his eyes lubricated. He also plans to wear contacts going forward, despite undergoing LASIK surgery in 2019. Nido had returned to baseball activities by the week of May 15 and could ramp up quickly now that his vision problems are improving. (Last updated: May 17)
RHP Carlos Carrasco (right elbow inflammation)
Expected return: May 19
When Carrasco began experiencing abnormal soreness and swelling in his elbow in mid-April, the Mets sent him for an MRI exam that revealed a bone spur, which could eventually require surgery. Carrasco received a cortisone injection and restarted a throwing program the week of April 24, then made two rehab starts for Double-A Binghamton, logging four scoreless innings in the second of them on May 14. That sets Carrasco up for a return from the IL this Friday against the Guardians at Citi Field. (Last updated: May 16)
RHP Jimmy Yacabonis (left quad strain)
Expected return: Late May
The Mets placed Yacabonis on the 15-day IL on May 9 (retroactive to May 8) with a quad injury that had affected him for several days, including a May 7 outing in which he allowed five runs in one-third of an inning. The strain is considered minor, however, and Yacabonis began a Minor League rehab assignment on May 16. (Last updated: May 16)
OF Tim Locastro (back spasms)
Expected return: Mid-May
Locastro has been dealing with a back issue for a while, manager Buck Showalter said, but the issue reached a tipping point following the Mets' game in Oakland on April 16. That prompted the Mets to place him on the IL with an injury that is not considered serious. Locastro began a rehab assignment on April 30 and is eligible to return at any time. “Locastro played well last night,” Showalter said on May 10, a day after Locastro homered for the second straight game at Triple-A Syracuse. “We think he’s pretty close.” (Last updated: May 10)
RHP Edwin Uceta (left ankle sprain)
Expected return: TBD
Uceta hurt his left ankle while pitching three shutout innings against the Giants on April 22. He was initially not expected to need more than the minimum 15 days on the IL to recover, but manager Buck Showalter said that he is not progressing as fast as they’d hoped. (Last updated: May 10)
60-day IL
C Omar Narváez (left calf strain)
Expected return: June
After injuring his leg in an April 5 game in Milwaukee, Narváez learned he had suffered a medium- to high-grade calf strain and would require a lengthy IL stint to recover. A typical timetable to return to play after that sort of injury is 8-9 weeks. He is not eligible to return from the IL until June 5, but it appears likely that Narváez can do so on or around that time. He took batting practice at Citi Field on May 16 and is due to begin a Minor League rehab assignment late the week of May 22. (Last updated: May 16)
LHP José Quintana (recovery from rib surgery)
Expected return: July at the earliest
Midway through Spring Training, Quintana was diagnosed with a stress fracture in the fifth rib on his left side. Subsequent testing revealed a lesion in the area, which was benign but prompted doctors to recommend bone graft surgery to repair the rib. Quintana underwent that operation on March 17 and resumed cardio work less than two weeks later.
At a six-week checkup on April 28, Quintana was cleared to begin throwing off flat ground. He is scheduled for another CT scan on May 19; if that comes back clean as well, he will graduate to more intensive throwing and mound work at that time. (Last updated: May 16) More >>
RHP Stephen Ridings (right lat strain)
Expected return: TBA
The Mets never expected Ridings to break camp as a healthy pitcher due to his recovery from a lat strain. But he has since progressed slower than they hoped, suffering multiple setbacks in his quest to advance to Minor League games. Ridings was up to 98 mph in a mid-May bullpen session, according to manager Buck Showalter, but until is able to pitch in the Minors, his timetable will remain unclear. (Last updated: May 16)
RHP Elieser Hernández (right shoulder strain)
Expected return: Possibly June
Hernández landed on the injured list to start the season after experiencing discomfort in his shoulder late in Spring Training. He restarted a throwing program in late March, but stagnated after that. His return is taking several weeks longer than the Mets had initially hoped; as of early May, there was no clear timetable for his return, though Hernández had at least returned to mound work. Manager Buck Showalter said that he’s progressing “little by little.” Hernández was transferred to the 60-day IL on May 10. (Last updated: May 10)
RHP Edwin Díaz (torn right patellar tendon)
Expected return: 2024
Díaz suffered a complete patellar tendon tear in his right knee during Puerto Rico's celebration after defeating the Dominican Republic to advance to the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic on March 16. He underwent surgery to repair the tendon the following afternoon in Florida and has been progressing on a rehab schedule ever since, most recently appearing in public without crutches on May 5. Díaz is holding out hope that he can return late in the season, but it's more likely that he will miss the entire campaign. The typical timetable for such an injury is around eight months. (Last updated: May 5) More >>
RHP Sam Coonrod (right lat strain)
Expected return: Late May or June
After reporting soreness following a March 14 outing, Coonrod underwent imaging that revealed a high-grade lat strain. The Mets later transferred Coonrod to the 60-day IL, ensuring he won't return until May 28 at the earliest. Coonrod, who had been a prime candidate to make the Mets' Opening Day roster before his injury, planned to begin ramping up with a throwing program in early May. (Last updated: April 28)
RHP Bryce Montes de Oca (recovery from Tommy John surgery)
Expected return: 2024
The outlook steadily deteriorated for Montes de Oca after he departed a March 12 Grapefruit League game due to right forearm discomfort. Initially diagnosed with a stress reaction in his elbow, Montes de Oca consented to surgery two weeks later to remove loose bodies from the joint. During that operation, surgeons determined that Montes de Oca's UCL was unstable and required reconstruction. The resulting Tommy John operation and recovery will cost Montes de Oca the entire 2023 season, and potentially part of '24. (Last updated: April 4)