Mets' Injury Soap Opera Turning Toward Horror Film
It could be time for the Mets to make an external move
Jacob deGrom is apparently healthy. Unfortunately, the rest of the Mets’ roster is summarily falling apart. Ah, yes. The ol’ give and take. Right on time…
Sitting four games up in the NL East on June 22 despite all the challenges this group has faced this year was by far the best-case scenario in this soap opera.
In recent days, things have taken a turn from afternoon drama series to a horror film for these Metsies.
Over the last 24 hours, the Mets have lost right-handers Jeurys Familia (hip impingement) and Robert Gsellman (torn right lat), and left-hander Joey Lucchesi (torn UCL) to injury.
After Monday’s Game 2 loss to Atlanta, Mets manager Luis Rojas noted that the team would get a second opinion on Lucchesi’s elbow, but also conceded that the southpaw suffered a “significant” tear.
It’s safe to assume that only Familia is expected back this season. Jerad Eickhoff, who contributed four scoreless frames in the nightcap, will likely be leaned on as a stopgap until a course of action is determined.
We talked a bit about external trade options on Twitter last night. That could very well be the way the Mets decide to go if they feel the carrot dangling in front of their faces is close enough to snatch.
If Cincinnati decides to part ways with the struggling but overwhelmingly talented Luis Castillo (Reds are four games back in the NL Central, so that’s questionable, at best), he would be our preferred target.
Colorado’s Jon Gray (or German Marquez, for that matter) or Minnesota right-hander Jose Berrios would be upper-shelf options, as well.
Whether Mets’ GM Zack Scott chooses to part ways with an upper-crust cache of prospects for a bigger name is the most pressing question. And quite the conundrum, to be honest.
The last regime pared the Mets’ farm system. New management made it clear during the offseason that they wouldn’t be mortgaging their top minor-league talents to shore up deficiencies.
Well, that was then. Today, in the spot this team is in, maybe that train of thought changes. We shall see.
This team has embraced the next-man-up mentality through everything and were *thisclose* to making it out the other side of that tunnel at full steam.
Bit by bit, the injured were making progress in their respective rehabs. Jeff McNeil returned to the lineup on Monday. Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo are both working their way back.
We can never have nice things, can we?
One of the more important spokes in this wheel over the last two months, Jonathan Villar, left Monday’s game with right calf tightness and will be evaluated on Tuesday.
Without a timetable on the return of J.D. Davis (hand), Villar was expected to play a significant role at third base moving forward. McNeil, Luis Guillorme, and Jose Peraza will likely shoulder that load in the meantime.
Soon enough, Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso, and Dominic Smith will have the benefit of a top-caliber lineup around them and, we can only hope, things will take off offensively. Goodness knows this team could use the boost.
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