Mets outfielder/infielder Jeff McNeil departed the team’s loss to the Braves on Tuesday with an apparent left hamstring injury, per Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News. He’ll undergo an MRI on Wednesday, Tim Healey of Newsday tweets.
McNeil already spent time on the injured list earlier in the season with a hamstring strain, which shelved him for 12 days. The 27-year-old has otherwise enjoyed a dream season, having slashed .332/.400/.529 (148 wRC+) with 15 home runs in 442 plate appearances. Along with serving as one of the majors’ premier hitters, McNeil has been a versatile defender for the Mets. He has appeared in 79 games in the corner outfield, 26 at second base and 16 at third.
The presence of McNeil is an obvious reason the Mets have saved their season over the past several weeks. Despite Tuesday’s defeat, the former bottom feeders find themselves 61-58 and a manageable two games out of a wild-card spot. At least on paper, losing McNeil would damage their chances to rally for a playoff berth. He’d also be the second keystone option to hit the IL recently for the Mets, who are without starter Robinson Cano because of a torn hamstring. However, the club does still have Joe Panik – whom it signed last week – to handle second and Todd Frazier to man third. It’s in less capable hands in the corner outfield, where Dominic Smith and Brandon Nimmo are currently on the IL.
The McNeil-less Mets would likely have to give more outfield playing time to the light-hitting Juan Lagares (who did have a 4-for-4 night Tuesday) as a complement to Michael Conforto and J.D. Davis. New York also has Aaron Altherr at the major league level, but he has endured a nightmarish season, with Dilson Herrera, Rajai Davis and Gregor Blanco among veteran possibilities in the minors. Alternatively, promoting infielder Ruben Tejada could be in the cards, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.
Pickle_Britches
That stinks, the Mets are going to need him down the stretch.
Dixon Miaz
They’re the Mets…. they won’t win anything.
@DaOldDerbyBastard
They’ve won 14 of 17 dipsh!t.
Gobbysteiner
In the regular season
Lucky-Arm28
So when is the parade, stupid ?
TradeAcuna
where is the champagne then?
Xavier Blaine
Giants won 18 of 21 did that mean anything? No because it was a hot streak and Mets just had a hot streak. Their bullpen and awful defense doesn’t equal playoffs.
caryloyd
Remember 2007 and 2008. Choke artists. LOL
sleepyfloyd
The Mets hit streak is more realistic and sustainable as the have both better overall starting pitching and power hitting then the Giants.
If the Mets had anything close to the giants pen they would be up 5+ games
bhambrave
If the Braves has the Giants bullpen, they’d be up 15 games.
CharlieH
Right, because bringing up stuff from 11 years is really relevant to the current team.
Eightball611
I agree…hot streaks are nothingntil you win it all. Ask Co when m the redsox beat them.
Gobbysteiner
Jeff McNeil
chippahawk
If the ump makes the correct strike 3 call the pitch before this happened last night, we’re not having this conversation. That was the first thing I thought of last night while watching the play unfold.
clepto
Are you millineal? Have a need to blame?
chippahawk
Are you a stalker or just annoying? Go away..you’re always looking for a fight.
clepto
[yawn]
….millineal. Bingo.
bhambrave
Learn how to spell before you troll.
bhambrave
That ump was making bad calls against both teams all night. He had no consistency at all.
fits65
Hey Chip-if you are going to blame the injury on the ump, then I turn the blame to the player who should have argued the call and been thrown out of the game. This way he would have only been out for one game.
Stop with all these trademark Mets injury excuses. Look at the Yankees (or Astros) as examples of teams that faced far worse injuries and are having successful winning seasons.
The Mets lack depth and the roster is weak. Their defense has more holes than Swiss cheese and their bullpen is hard to have faith in.
You’ve just had your hot steak. Last year it was in April. With your expectations running high, reality will set in as it rips at your insides. The Wilpon’s hope that you will re-up and continue to support their fundraising mechanism.
chippahawk
Do you actually think I’m a Mets fan?? Thought my screen name and Braves logo might give that away…
I stated a fact as a fan of the winning team so I’m not blaming anybody. (Not huge on being an absolute Homer, call it is I see it, and the Mets are no pushovers and shouldn’t be overlooked btw.)
He was simply out on strikes but the ump missed it, end of story. Happens many times a game with human error and is just part of the game.
coastalcarolinachamps
GMAFB
chuck123
That’s it – fun is over and the Mets return to their normal selves- look away
802Ghost
One can only hope.
CharlieH
Nervous?
Gobbysteiner
Jeff McNeil
TradeAcuna
Now that he is hurt, we are about to hear how the only reason the Mets missed the playoffs was because of injuries…like every year.
LongTimeFan1
@AllOurGodsHaveAbandonedUs
3 games over .500 despite the loss of Cespedes. Dominic Smith, Jed Lowrie, Robinson Cano, Brandon Nimmo, Drew Smith and now McNeil,
Pretty darn good. Losing them isn’t a complaint or excuse. It’s just fact and explanation. Mets would be far more games above .500 with them.
TradeAcuna
Right now, only Degrom, Alonso, and McNeil are non expendable players. Everyone else is expendable; too bad the Mets lack depth hence why they lose often.
TradeAcuna
Right now, only Degrom, Alonso, and McNeil are non expendable players. Everyone else is expendable; too bad the Mets lack depth hence why they lose often.
PopeMarley
Conforto is not expendable. Saying it 3 times won’t make it true.
TradeAcuna
If the Red Sox offered Betts to the Mets, the Mets will be open to trading Conforto for him. McNeil and Alonso are their two untouchables right now.
TradeAcuna
Right now, only Degrom, Alonso, and McNeil are non-expendable players. Everyone else is expendable; too bad the Mets lack depth hence why they lose often.
LongTimeFan1
Connor Byrne has been around long enough, yet writes stupid stuff.
Totally without class – no reason whatsoever but piling on, joining the fray to note Mets as bottom feeders. – former or otherwise.
He Also Says This Nonsense:
“It’s in less capable hands in the corner outfield, where Dominic Smith and Brandon Nimmo are currently on the IL.”
Um, Nimmo was the starting CF whose been on the IL since May.
Dom Smith is a first baseman by trade, and not a good outfielder.
The “less capable hands” Bryne refers to is former All star, 26 y.o. solid, starting outfielder, Michael Conforto who’s a corner outfielder by trade, filling in at CF, and JD Davis whose been hitting the stuffing out of the ball and has been playing left field fine, and improving.
The more I read MLB trade Rumors, the more I catch them fudging facts. It’s becoming more challenging to trust what they write. Beware.
Cam
He noted them as former bottom feeders, which is accurate. He also noted the Mets having to turn to less than ideal outfield options to plug the gaps, which is accurate.
Just because you don’t like what is said, doesn’t make what is said wrong. Deal with it.
thunderbolt
I understand you don’t agree with the writing style, but no need to take it to a personal level. If you know in your mind that there is evidence to the contrary, go with your own opinion.
Jeff Todd
I think you’re misunderstanding what Connor was stating here. The point is: losing McNeil would create a major hole in the corner OF, because Conforto is filling in up the middle and some other potential corner options are on the IL. (If you want to consider Conforto a corner piece, then you get Lagares/Altherr in center. Same essential problem.)
That isn’t “piling on” or even critical of the organization. It’s a reflection of the reality of the situation.
fits65
The reality of the situation is that the Mets are not deep enough as a team to endure and their defense is like Swiss cheese.
The other reality is that their hot streak has come to an end as they played a good team and though they get a reprieve with KC this weekend, they are unlikely to sustain another hot streak as their schedule doesn’t offer so many games in a row against fluff teams.
Sid Bream
@LongTimeFan1
There is nothing worse than somebody complaining about the facts being presented. You have nothing to add but to attack the writer because what he said was factual, not opinion. You allege that this site is “fudging facts”, then go ahead and try and debunk what he said, you haven’t and you can’t.
CharlieH
Might he be taking a cue from the President?
chippahawk
If you came here to read about politics raise your hand…bueller?
CharlieH
Just playin’ aroun’…
Gobbysteiner
You’re not funny Charlie and no one cares about your political views
dcrising
Lol what? They were bottom feeders at one point this season along with many other teams, but the writer then went on to say they’re a manageable 2 games out of a WC. Those are FACTS!! And in reference to the “less capable hands” comment, if you actually read the article, he’s referring to who will be their 3rd outfielder after Conforto and Davis, while rattling off the list of the “less than capable hands” of Lagares, Altherr and other minor leaguers.