Mets' Jeff McNeil picks up hit in first rehab game; Carlos Mendoza details next steps

Also, updates on Francisco Alvarez and Paul Blackburn

4/12/2025, 12:36 AM
New York Mets second base Jeff McNeil (1) works on a fielding exercise during a spring training workout at Clover Park / Sam Navarro - Imagn Images
New York Mets second base Jeff McNeil (1) works on a fielding exercise during a spring training workout at Clover Park / Sam Navarro - Imagn Images

Jeff McNeil got into an actual game on Friday evening with Port St. Lucie, and the Mets infielder had a successful rehab start.

Starting at second base, and leading off, McNeil went 1-for-2 with a walk and a run. He played the field for five innings before being subbed out.

The former NL batting champion is hoping to continue his form from the second half of last season, which allowed him to salvage his 2024 campaign. After a dreadful start, McNeil finished the year with a .238 batting average after hitting .216 in the first half of the season. His second half saw him hit a respectable .289.

"It’s a tricky injury with the oblique but the fact he’s already playing in-game, that’s a good sign," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Friday. "He’ll play today, then he’ll play Sunday, play Tuesday and then we have to get him to play back-to-back games. How he’s going to respond to that and then we’ll check with him if he needs more at-bats or not. He got more at-bats than Alvarez did in spring training so that’s good there but we’re going to play it by ear."

The Mets skipper said McNeil's next rehab game will be with St. Lucie on Sunday before eventually going to Triple-A Syracuse to continue getting at-bats.

Latest on Francisco Alvarez 

As for Alvarez, he started at catcher hitting behind McNeil in Friday's game at Port St. Lucie.

The Mets backstop caught seven innings going 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. It's Alvarez's second rehab start after catching five innings on Wednesday.

Mendoza said the plan for Alvarez is to play one more game at St. Lucie on Sunday before heading back to Citi Field on Monday to check in with the doctors. And then he'll head up to Syracuse for a game on Tuesday.

Update on Paul Blackburn

Mendoza also detailed what the next steps for Blackburn are.

"He threw a live BP today, one inning," he said. "Depending on how he feels the next couple of days, the next step will be another live BP on Tuesday, two ups live BP and then we’ll go from there. He threw in Brooklyn today."

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