Injury updates

[Cowtipper]

These are the latest updates from RotoWire and CBS; some may be somewhat dated already.

Francisco Alvarez: Manager Carlos Mendoza said Sunday that Alvarez (hand) is scheduled to continue his minor-league rehab assignment this week, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. The skipper previously indicated that Alvarez could be back during the current homestand, which ends Wednesday, but it appears the 23-year-old backstop will be on the shelf for at least a few more days. Alvarez has gone 6-for-27 with a walk and three homers across seven rehab games in the minors, and he's still on track to make his season debut for the Mets before the end of April. Injury Hand. Est. Return 4/25/2025.

Adbert Alzolay: Alzolay underwent Tommy John surgery in late August and was non-tendered by the Cubs in November. He's expected to miss the entire 2025 season while rehabbing, but the 29-year-old right-hander will have an opportunity to earn a spot in the Mets bullpen for the 2026 campaign if he makes a full recovery. Injury Elbow. Est. Return 2/1/2026.

Paul Blackburn: Blackburn (knee) is scheduled to throw two innings in a live batting practice session Tuesday, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports. Blackburn checked out fine after throwing a one-inning live BP session in Brooklyn on Friday, prompting the Mets to clear him to repeat the activity while increasing his pitch count. If all goes well Tuesday, Blackburn will then head out on a minor-league rehab assignment. Manager Carlos Mendoza said that the goal is to have Blackburn build up to around 65-to-70 pitches before coming off the 15-day injured list, so the right-hander will likely be in line for at least two starts on the farm. Injury Knee. Est. Return 4/30/2025.

Nick Madrigal: Madrigal will likely miss the entire season after surgery to repair a fractured left shoulder, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. Madrigal suffered the injury during a Grapefruit League contest Sunday when he landed on the shoulder following an off-balance throw. He's already been placed on the 60-day injured list and his tenure with the Mets could be over before it starts, as Madrigal will be a free agent next offseason. Injury Shoulder. Est. Return 2/1/2026.

Sean Manaea: Manaea (oblique) resumed playing catch from 60 feet Monday, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. Manaea was diagnosed with a right oblique strain early in spring training and was placed on the 15-day injured list to begin the season. After struggling in his recovery toward the tail end of camp, Manaea received a platelet-rich plasma injection for his oblique and was shut down from throwing for two weeks. With a recent follow-up MRI showing improvement, Manaea has been cleared to resume his throwing program but will need some extended ramp-up time before he's ready to head out of on a minor-league rehab assignment. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said that Manaea will be limited to throwing out to 60 feet for the next 10 days before being reassessed. Injury Oblique. Est. Return 6/1/2025.

Ronny Mauricio: Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said that Mauricio (knee) is scheduled to serve as the designated hitter in an extended spring training game Tuesday, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports. Mauricio will be participating in his first game action since December 2023, when he suffered a torn ACL in his right knee while playing in the Dominican Winter League. The 24-year-old infielder has faced a longer recovery than initially anticipated, as he required a follow-up procedure July 30, 2024 to remove scar tissue from the knee. He was eased along slowly this spring, but Mauricio is finally ready to test himself in a competitive environment, albeit in a controlled setting and in a non-defensive role. Mauricio could still be multiple weeks away from being ready to play the infield, and the Mets haven't yet offered a concrete timeline for him to be fully cleared. Injury Knee. Est. Return 5/2/2025.

Jeff McNeil: McNeil (oblique) will start in center field during a rehab game with Single-A St. Lucie on Thursday, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. McNeil has limited experience in center field, having made three appearances there with the Mets in 2023 and another three in the minors. With Jose Siri (leg) sidelined, the club would like to have McNeil as an option to play center field. That said, most of McNeil's reps should still come at second base. The 33-year-old appears likely to be activated from the 10-day injured list early next week. Injury Oblique. Est. Return 4/25/2025.

Frankie Montas: Montas (lat) has been playing catch from 90 feet and is expected to begin throwing bullpen sessions in two weeks, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. Montas began a throwing program in early April and has been brought along slowly as he works his way back from a high-grade right lat strain. He still has numerous boxes to check off in his rehab program but appears to be tracking toward a season debut in late May or early June, if all goes well. Injury Lat Est. Return 5/30/2025.

Bryce Montes de Oca: Montes de Oca underwent a second Tommy John surgery toward the end of last year's minor-league season, Michael Mayer of MetsmerizedOnline.com reports. De Oca had his first Tommy John surgery in March of 2023 and needed the operation again less than two years later. The 28-year-old made only 13 appearances in 2024 after not making any in 2023, and he's now looking at another lost season. De Oca has a 31.9 percent strikeout rate during his time in the minors and fanned six batters in 3.1 innings with the Mets in 2022, but he also had a career 18.1 percent walk rate in the minors and a lengthy injury history. The odds are stacked against him for making it back to the big leagues. Injury Elbow. Est. Return 2/1/2026.

Oliver Ortega: Injury Elbow. Est. Return 4/22/2025.

Rafael Ortega: Injury Undisclosed. Est. Return 4/22/2025.

Luis Ortiz: Injury Elbow. Expected to be out until at least Sep 1.

Yacksel Rios: Injury Undisclosed. Est. Return 6/1/2025.

Christian Scott: Scott will throw from 45 feet Monday as he continues his recovery from hybrid elbow surgery performed last September, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports. While he won't see any game action in 2025, Scott has progressed well so far in his rehab, and Monday will represent an important milestone -- his first time throwing since the surgery. "Counting down the hours," the right-hander said Tuesday. Scott has also improved his nutrition and overall fitness while rehabbing, and if he makes a full recovery, he's likely to be competing for a spot in the big-league rotation next spring. Injury Elbow. Est. Return 2/1/2026.

Jose Siri: Expected to miss 8-10 weeks. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Monday that Siri (leg) is expected to be sidelined 8-to-10 weeks, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. Siri suffered a left tibia fracture last week and has already been placed on the 10-day injured list. The timeline puts Siri out until mid-to-late June. Tyrone Taylor has been making regular starts as the center fielder with Siri out, and Jeff McNeil (oblique) is also being cross trained in the outfield during his rehab assignment in the minors. Injury Lower Leg. Est. Return 6/7/2025.

Drew Smith: The Mets placed Smith (elbow) on the 60-day injured list. Smith signed a one-year deal with the Mets that includes a club option for 2026. However, he isn't expected to pitch until very late in the season, if at all, after undergoing a Tommy John and internal brace hybrid procedure in July, so New York will move him to the 60-day IL to conserve a spot on its 40-man roster. Injury Elbow. Est. Return 9/1/2025.

Mark Vientos: Vientos (groin) remains out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Phillies, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. Vientos was forced to leave Saturday's game against the Cardinals and will miss a second straight start, though he did take ground balls Monday and is scheduled to hit later in the afternoon, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. With Vientos still idle, Brett Baty will make the start at third base and bat eighth against Aaron Nola. Injury Groin. Day-to-day.

Jared Young: Triple-A Syracuse placed Young on its 7-day injured list Thursday due to an unspecified issue. Young wasn't known to be dealing with an injury when the Mets optioned him to minor-league camp March 9, but the 29-year-old first baseman looks like he'll have to wait a bit to make his Syracuse debut while he tends to an undisclosed issue. After being granted his release from the Cardinals organization in the middle of the 2024 season, Young finished out the campaign in the Korea Baseball Organization with the Doosan Bears, producing a 1.080 OPS over 169 plate appearances.

[MFS62]

Alvarez has four passed balls in limited action behind the plate. I'd let him get some more rust out.

I'm not sure if he's ready defensively to catch when brought up.

Later

[Chad ochoseis]

[bLOCKQUOTE]Jeff McNeil: McNeil (oblique) will start in center field during a rehab game with Single-A St. Lucie on Thursday, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. McNeil has limited experience in center field, having made three appearances there with the Mets in 2023 and another three in the minors. With Jose Siri (leg) sidelined, the club would like to have McNeil as an option to play center field. That said, most of McNeil's reps should still come at second base. The 33-year-old appears likely to be activated from the 10-day injured list early next week. Injury Oblique. Est. Return 4/25/2025[/bLOCKQUOTE]

 

If it came to that, why not Nimmo in CF and McNeil in LF? There was a lot of talk about Nimmo being the second worst CF in the NL one year, but looking at the dWAR, I remember seeing that there were maybe three great center fielders and the differences among the rest of the pack weren't large. So a lot of that chatter was overblown.

I never thought of Nimmo as a particularly poor center fielder.

[Fman99]

We were hoping to catch McNeil or Alvarez on rehab starts in the 'Cuse but they are in Worcester this week. Which is a bummer

[roger_that]

why not Nimmo in CF and McNeil in LF?

 

My personal preference:

Against lefties:

Taylor CF

Acuna 2B

Marte DH

Nimmo LF

Against Righties:

McNeil LF

Baty 2B

Winker DH

Nimmo CF

[roger_that]

Can Nimmo do it? I think so. Edited April 22, 2025 by roger_that

[MFS62]

Against Righties:

McNeil LF

Baty 2B

Winker DH

Nimmo CF

 

The old pitcher in me would want to strike every batter out, for fear they would hit the ball near, but not directly at, that defense. On any balls hit toward left center I would run to back up third.

Later

[roger_that]

What I particularly like about my suggested lineups (with Alvarez and Torrens each playing quite a bit at C) is the way the whole roster gets to play semi-regularly or regularly. No dead-enders sitting on the bench for weeks at a stretch.

[batmagadanleadoff]

What I particularly like about my suggested lineups (with Alvarez and Torrens each playing quite a bit at C) is the way the whole roster gets to play semi-regularly or regularly. No dead-enders sitting on the bench for weeks at a stretch.

 

Yes, Lefty. How original. You think of everything, Lefty. Give yourself two gold stars. Who on this year's Mets is a "dead-ender" "sitting on the bench for weeks at a stretch"? Lefty, Lefty, Lefty.

[Cowtipper]

Paul Blackburn: Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said that Blackburn (knee) has been scratched from his scheduled rehab start Wednesday at High-A Brooklyn due to a stomach bug, Abbey Mastracco of the New York Daily News reports. Blackburn began a rehab assignment with Brooklyn on Saturday, allowing one run over two innings. He threw 38 pitches in that outing and had been set to get stretched out more Wednesday, but the righty's next start will be put on hold. Mendoza has said previously that he would like Blackburn to get his pitch count up to the 65-to-70 range before being activated, so he will likely need at least a couple more rehab starts. njury Knee. Est. Return 5/5/2025.

Candido Cuevas: Injury Undisclosed. Est. Return 6/1/2025.

Edwin Diaz: was able to play catch before Friday's game without any issues, but Mets manager Carlos Mendoza still elected not to use him in a save situation that night due to his recent workload, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports. Ryne Stanek instead got a chance to protect a 4-3 lead against the Nationals in the ninth inning, but he served up a leadoff triple to Dylan Crews and an RBI single to Jose Tena to blow the save. Diaz had pitched five times in nine days heading into Friday, allowing just a solo homer in 5.1 innings with a 10:2 K:BB, so some extra rest was warranted after he developed cramping in his left hip Wednesday. He should be available to handle any save situation that arises Saturday. Injury Hip. Day-to-day.

Ronny Mauricio: Mauricio (knee) will start a rehab assignment with Single-A St. Lucie on Sunday. Mauricio is in the final stages of his recovery from a procedure in January of 2024 to repair a torn ACL in his right knee. He participated in extended spring training, and he has progressed enough to embark on a rehab assignment in the minors. How Mauricio's knee reacts to increased competition will determine the next steps in his rehab program. Injury Knee. Est. Return 5/16/2025.

A.J. Minter: The Mets placed Minter on the 15-day injured list Sunday due to a left lat strain. Minter was lifted in the eighth inning of Saturday's 2-0 loss to the Nationals due to what was initially reported as left triceps tightness. Further testing revealed a left lat strain, and the 31-year-old southpaw will be shut down from throwing until a rehab program is established. The Mets selected Jose Urena's contract from Triple-A Syracuse in a corresponding move. Injury Lat. Est. Return 5/12/2025.

Oliver Ortega: Injury Elbow. Est. Return 4/30/2025.

Rafael Ortega: Injury Undisclosed. Est. Return 4/27/2025.

Yovanny Rodriguez: Injury Undisclosed. Est. Return 6/1/2025.

Matt Rudick: Rudick is set to undergo Tommy John surgery, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports. While Tommy John surgery isn't as serious for position players as it is for pitchers, the timing of Rudick's injury figures to cost him most or all of the 2025 campaign. The 26-year-old outfielder slashed .239/.352/.366 with eight homers and 12 steals over 114 games at Double-A Binghamton last season. Injury Elbow. Est. Return 9/1/2025.

JT Schwartz: Injury Undisclosed. Est. Return 4/28/2025.

Calvin Ziegler: Ziegler has had terrible luck on the injury front the since the Mets selected him in the second round of the 2021 First-Year Player Draft. He's flashed plenty of promise when on the mound, including this season, when he had a 13:2 K:BB over six hitless innings with Brooklyn. However, the 21-year-old is now looking at a second straight lost season after elbow and quadricep injuries limited him to just one start in 2023. Injury Elbow. Est. Return 7/1/2025.

[Marshmallowmilkshake]

Looks like Minter is gone for the rest of the season, or close to it.

https://nypost.com/2025/04/29/sports/aj-minter-might-need-season-ending-surgery-in-brutal-mets-injury-blow/

[Cowtipper]

Manaea was moved to the 60-day IL.

[Centerfield]

We are not allowed to have lefty relievers.

[G-Fafif]

Danny Young on IL with left elbow sprain. Chris Devenski up, along with Brandon Waddell (Kevin Herget optioned).

[Cowtipper]

Waddell's done extremely well at Triple-A so far.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

He's already made Mets history by being the first guy to suit up in #82

[G-Fafif]

Per DiComo…

 

Capping a slew of Mets roster moves this morning, the Mets transferred A.J. Minter (lat) and Frankie Montas (lat) to the 60-day IL. That won't affect their timelines. Minter is looking for a September return at best and could be out for the year. Montas won't return until June.

[roger_that]

Manaea was moved to the 60-day IL.

 

Are they saying anything different about the nature of his injury now, and his expected return date?

[Benjamin Grimm]

I tried looking into that. Apparently Manaea is progressing, throwing from 75 feet. According to an update from Mendoza a couple of days ago, he expects that Manaea will be activated before Montas, barring any setbacks, of course.

[ashie62]

Looks like Minter is gone for the rest of the season, or close to it.

https://nypost.com/2025/04/29/sports/aj-minter-might-need-season-ending-surgery-in-brutal-mets-injury-blow/

 

Big waste of cabbage

[ashie62]

I tried looking into that. Apparently Manaea is progressing, throwing from 75 feet. According to an update from Mendoza a couple of days ago, he expects that Manaea will be activated before Montas, barring any setbacks, of course.

 

Barring any setbacks of coursr

[Cowtipper]

Paul Blackburn: Blackburn (knee/illness) resumed throwing Sunday and will throw a bullpen session Tuesday, Andrew Tredinnick of The Bergen Record reports. Blackburn was scratched from a rehab start last week due to a stomach bug that resulted in some weight loss. He's feeling better now, though, and should be able to resume his rehab assignment soon. The righty originally went on the 15-day injured list due to right knee inflammation. Injury Knee. Est. Return 5/9/2025.

Ronny Mauricio: Mauricio (knee) went 1-for-3 with a run scored and a stolen base Sunday for Single-A St. Lucie. After missing the entire 2024 campaign due to ACL surgery that required a follow-up procedure last August, Mauricio was brought along slowly by the Mets this spring and didn't see his first game action of the year until Sunday. The 24-year-old wasted no time demonstrating that he was fully healthy, singling up the middle in his first at-bat and promptly swiping second base. Mauricio still has a minor-league option left, so there's no guarantee he'll be added to the Mets' 26-man roster once his rehab assignment is over, but it looks like he could be ready to bolster the big-league infield within a few weeks. In his last full season in the minors in 2023, Mauricio slashed .292/.346/.506 over 116 games for Triple-A Syracuse with 23 homers and 24 steals. Injury Knee. Est. Return 5/27/2025.

A.J. Minter: The Mets transferred Minter (lat) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Thursday. Minter was initially placed on the IL on Sunday after being diagnosed with a left lat strain. The southpaw is still weighing whether to undergo season-ending surgery, but even if he elects to treat the injury through rest and rehab, he won't be on track to return to game action until September in a best-case scenario, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Before getting hurt, Minter had been performing well as the top setup man in front of closer Edwin Diaz, logging a 1.64 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 14:5 K:BB in 11 innings while collecting seven holds over his 13 appearances. Injury Lat. Est. Return 9/1/2025.

Sean Manaea: The Mets transferred Manaea (oblique) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Tuesday, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. Manaea has yet to make his 2025 debut after straining his oblique during the spring. He resumed playing catch earlier this month but appears to still be eyeing a return to the Mets in June. Injury Oblique. Est. Return 6/1/2025.

Frankie Montas: The Mets transferred Montas (lat) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Thursday. The transaction won't affect Montas' timeline for a return, as the 32-year-old isn't expected to be ready to make his Mets debut until at least June while he recovers from the high-grade right lat strain that he sustained early in spring training. Per MLB.com, Montas has been throwing off flat ground since early April and should soon be ready for mound work, but he'll require an extended period of time to build up his pitch count and will need to make multiple rehab starts in the minors before being activated from the IL. Injury Lat. Est. Return 6/1/2025.

Oliver Ortega: Injury Elbow. Est. Return 5/4/2025.

Brooks Raley: The Mets transferred Raley (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday. Raley underwent Tommy John surgery last May and isn't expected to be available to make his season debut until around midseason, so his move to the 60-day IL has no impact on his return timeline. The southpaw seems to be progressing well in his recovery, as he's been throwing regular bullpen sessions since re-signing with the Mets on April 29 and is expected to resume facing live hitters at some point in May, per MLB.com. Injury Elbow. Est. Return 7/1/2025.

Danny Young: Manager Carlos Mendoza said Wednesday that Young may need to undergo Tommy John surgery, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. Young landed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday due to a sprained left elbow, but he now may be at risk of missing the rest of the season plus a significant portion of the 2026 campaign. The Mets will know more about how to properly handle the southpaw's injury within the next few days, but he's likely facing an extended absence even if he doesn't undergo surgery. Injury Elbow. Est. Return 6/1/2025.

[roger_that]

Looks like some AAA lefties are going to get their shots sooner than we'd thought.

Of course, this is why you want to have superfluous players sitting on your bench, in case a team develops a need for one of them as soon as a sudden need of yours (like lefty relievers) presents itself. The question now is which teams have enough good lefty relievers to be able to afford losing one of them in exchange for McNeil, Marte, Baty, etc.?

A more radical approach, assuming none of the AAA lefties are acceptable and no meaningful trades present themselves, would be just to go without lefty relievers. Felipe Alou tried an all-righty bullpen one year when he was managing the Expos, as I recall, and did remarkably well with that gamble.

[The Hot Corner]

Danny Young has reportedly opted to have season ending surgery.

[roger_that]

According to Mendoza, https://www.mlb.com/mets/video/carlos-mendoza-on-jesse-winker-s-injury-5-4-loss Winker looks like an IL situation.

Fortunately, the Mets have a left-handed hitter down at Syracuse who's batting .300 with an .864 OPS who has https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=baty--000bre major league experience.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Fortunately, the Mets have a left-handed hitter down at Syracuse who's batting .300 with an .864 OPS who has https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=baty--000bre major league experience.

 

How fortunate that the Mets might replace Winker with a player who isn't even half as good. Lucky us Mets fans.

[Cowtipper]

I'd give Gilberto Celestino a shot.

[Gwreck]

Fortunately, the Mets have a left-handed hitter down at Syracuse who's batting .300 with an .864 OPS who has major league experience.

 

By that measure, they should be calling up Jon Singleton who has a .923 OPS this year in Syracuse.

[roger_that]

Fortunately, the Mets have a left-handed hitter down at Syracuse who's batting .300 with an .864 OPS who has major league experience.

 

By that measure, they should be calling up Jon Singleton who has a .923 OPS this year in Syracuse.

 

Maybe. But Singleton's an old, slow 1B-man, which they really have no use for, who has a significantly worse record than Baty in MLB.

Baty has some upside--if he hits (which I'm very hopeful he will) you've got a very useful infielder going forward. If Singleton hits, you've got an old, slow guy who can play 1B and corner OF on the downside of his career.

What measure do you think the Mets should be using?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Baty may be easier to add because he's on the 40-man roster and I assume Singleton isn't.