Mets manager Carlos Mendoza and president of baseball operations David Stearns both spoke prior to Saturday’s game against the Phillies, providing a handful of key injury updates.
Francisco Lindor day-to-day
Neither Mendoza nor Stearns sounded too alarmed over Lindor’s back injury that saw him leave Friday’s game early, but he was not in Saturday’s starting lineup as more of a precaution more than anything else.
Mendoza left the door open to use Lindor as a potential pinch hitter.
“He’s feeling better after getting treatment today, moving around in weight room,” Mendoza said. “Just playing it safe. We’ll give him an extra few hours and see if he’s available at some point in the game. Just day by day and continue to have conversations.”
Optimism around Kodai Senga
Kodai Senga’s injury-plagued season may not be totally lost.
Stearns suggested the right-hander, who has been out since July 27 with a calf strain, could return before the end of the season.
“Pretty optimistic right now,” Stearns said. “He’s kept his arm moving throughout this. It’s a lower half injury. If all continues to progress as it is right now, we should see him.”
Senga sustained the calf injury in his first start of the season after missing the first half with a strained posterior capsule in his right shoulder, which occurred early in spring training.
How Senga will be used when he returns is still uncertain, although it’s still most likely out of the rotation.
“We’ll make that determination as we get closer,” Stearns said. “Senga has pitched at front end of games, that’s probably what we’ll do. But until we have to make a decision we won’t put anything in pen.”
Paul Blackburn has ‘unusual baseball injury’
Stearns provided more clarity on the Paul Blackburn situation, after a lower-back injury prevented him from making a rehab start earlier this week while on the IL for a right hand contusion.
“It’s an unusual baseball injury. He actually has a spinal fluid leak in mid back,” Stearns said. “This is not a long-term scary health situation. It sounds troubling but clearly an unusual baseball injury that has led to back discomfort he’s felt. We’re working with specialists and figuring out best treatment path. From a timeline perspective I don’t have one right now. ... He’s a pitcher, rotational athlete. We gotta get a little more information.”
Stearns added that as of Saturday, Blackburn has been completely shut down from doing any physical activity.