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.
hopefully they’ll be smart and get rid of Altherr when Brandon Nimmo returns
Nimmo isn’t much better.
Really? 4.5 fWAR last year for Nimmo – Altherr has 1.4 career WAR.
How about this year exile?
Yeah, Brandon Nimmo and his .886 OPS over 140 games last year is only a tick better than the sub .100 hitting Altherr. Hank would be so disappointed in you if he knew you were representing him online with this nonsense.
Yea he was tearing it up this year with a -.03 war. Rod Brasfield dummy
Who’s Hank?
Nursing a bulging disc in his neck in limited ABs but sure, those 161 ABs when he’s banged up in 2019 is probably more representative of who he is than the other 750ish ABs that suggest he’s great.
You’re actually referring to Nimmo as great..lofl
Before you call anyone ‘dummy’ you should look at Altherr’s stats. He’s one of the worst hitters in baseball this year. Further, literally any team in baseball would put Nimmo on their roster and most would trade assets for him. That’s a fact. Altherr is worth so much less than Nimmo it’s insane.
A 4+ WAR In a season is pretty darn good. Nimmo was In the Top 40 of all major league players for WAR in 2018. #facts
This but no mention of a’s Release of Estrada … mlb notified me first !
Mets DFA’d Altherr back in June and cleared waivers then
This is true.
Altherr is unlikely to pass through waivers? What? He’s absolutely atrocious. Even if his parents owned a team, they wouldn’t claim him.
Ouch!
Lol
It’s not mean if it’s true.
Who is Altherr ‘s agent? The guy keeps staying on big league rosters. Someone owes someone else a favor.
Hey ct-he’s free so what’s the big deal?
Glad the A’s passed on signing Lowrie. He missed some time late last year with leg issues which was only a precursor of what the Mets have experienced this year. Hope he can come back healthy and finish off the contract with a healthy 2020.
Doubtful.
The only certainty is that the A’s won’t be trading for him. He’s the Mets problem, plain and simple
The good news about both Nimmo and Lowrie, along with McNeil , will add a lot of depth down the stretch. It will also balance the lineup with the addition of three lefty hitters to go with Conforto.
With all the snipping of Brodie and Callaway, we will have one of the best rotations, a bull pen that has improved, probably the best in the division. The line up will be solid 1 to 8 with many options off the bench.
With all the critics saying Brodie didn’t know what he was doing, I will be watching to read all these critics writing about how wrong they were.
Of course the Mets haven’t won any thing yet, but it sure is exciting to watch them come back.
When people tear Mickey apart it drives me nuts. The manager can’t make people succeed. He can only strive to keep the team together and play hard. I would think this stretch demonstrates his success at this. New York fans are the greatest front runners in sports.If you win they worship you, if you lose they tear you apart. This is the atmosphere the manager is dealing in.
The critics are quick to point out what doesn’t work out, but what they say has no consequences. There are many decisions that have to be made in a game, the correct one is the one that works out the way you hope it would.
My hero’s are BVW, Mickey and Mr Dave Gettleman. Each say I don’t care what you think I will execute my plan and take responsibility for the results.
Get out much parkers!!??
Parker is always out. Do you know how how much time watching baseball he has logged to create the assessment that their bullpen is improved?
Improved off of what Parker?
You are going to need friends to catch you fall when you have hero’s like the ones that you declared.
Disappointment ahead. BEWARE!
That Marx outing was a humdinger
Davis will lead the NL in steals if he gets on base 40 times to finish the year.
If all goes well, the Mets will soon have a lot of depth down the stretch, providing a lot of options off the bench. The lineup has the potential to be as strong as any in the division.
Put that together with a solid starting staff and improving bull pen, they should be able to survive the increased toughness of their schedule.
Even with all the early season troubles they have played a lot better at home. 26 left at home and 12 on the road.
Keep the dream alive!
Key word? Dream.
And yet teams keep claiming
Altherr…..
A Jed Lowrie sighting!
Ok, so Lowrie comes to NY, where does he play? 2b with Cano, McNeil and Panik? SS with Rosario playing like an All-Star? 3b with team leader and clutch hitter Frazier?
CF lol
McNeill and Nimmo batting one-two in the order would produce a high OBP and lots of RBI opportunities for Alonso and Conforto. Plus McNeill and Nimmo aren’t Punch-and-Judy type hitters. Each has a modicum of pop with the ability to hit a ball against and/or over the wall.
If the Mets can stay healthy (A big if given the team’s history.), I think they can run down the Braves and win the NL East,
Earth to Lou. If is a pipe dream. Put your jets jersey in the wash—it will come in handy on Labor Day
Making the post-season is not a pipe dream. Winning the NL East is an unlikely, lofty, but not impossible, goal. The Mets would have to dominate the Braves in their remaining series while duplicating the 26-10 record they’ve had since the ASB for the remainder of the season. That would put them at 92-70. If a bunch of those victories come at the expense of the Braves, it’s doable.