The Mets may probably get an enormous enhance to their lineup in the event that they advance to the NLCS. Supervisor Carlos Mendoza revealed to reporters (together with Tim Britton of The Athletic) that Jeff McNeil will be a part of the staff’s taxi squad at the moment, two days after welcoming his second youngster. The second baseman/nook outfielder has not performed since September 6, when he fractured his proper wrist as he pulled again a bunt try on a high-and-inside curveball from Reds’ left-hander Brandon Williamson. It’s doable McNeil will likely be ramped up and able to play in time for the NLCS, ought to the Mets win two extra video games towards the Phillies within the NLDS. Nonetheless, Mendoza made it clear that it’s too quickly to supply a definitive timeline for McNeil’s return.
McNeil, 32, obtained off to a dismal begin over the primary three months of the 2024 marketing campaign. Then, he turned a nook in July, hitting eight house runs and 15 doubles with an .859 OPS and 140 wRC+ over his last 55 video games. The veteran seemed far more just like the model of himself that gained a Silver Slugger and a batting title in 2022. Even when he can’t get again to fairly that degree of efficiency, his lefty bat must be a useful addition to a righty-heavy Mets lineup; he may take over from Jose Iglesias at second base or Starling Marte in proper area with a right-handed beginning pitcher on the mound.
Talking of Marte, the 35-year-old outfielder took a Zack Wheeler fastball off his left forearm yesterday. As Britton identified, the pitch hit Marte in virtually the very same spot the place Phillies reliever Jeff Hoffman plunked him with a sinker three weeks earlier. Marte remained within the sport yesterday, operating the bases and taking a pair extra at-bats, however he was eliminated within the backside of the eighth amid a flurry of late-game defensive switches and substitutions. There’s no cause to consider he’s nursing something greater than a minor contusion, however it’s doable he may use a day to relaxation. After Hoffman beaned him in September, Marte took the following sport off. He began the sport after that on the bench earlier than getting into as a pinch hitter.
Extra notes from the NL postseason groups…
- Tommy Edman began in middle area for the Dodgers final night time, going 2-for-4 with a run scored. His most fascinating at-bat, nonetheless, was the double play he grounded into with runners on the corners within the backside of the fifth. Dealing with the right-handed Jeremiah Estrada, the switch-hitting Edman selected to hit from the fitting aspect (h/t to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic). It was the primary time all season Edman tried to bat right-handed towards a right-handed pitcher. To that time, he batted as a lefty towards the opposite two right-handers he confronted final night time: Dylan Stop and Bryan Hoeing. It was an unconventional, however not completely unreasonable, selection for Edman, who hit .181 with a .523 OPS and 51 wRC+ in 117 plate appearances as a lefty batter this season. Conversely, he went 14-for-34 (.412) with 4 house runs, a 1.299 OPS, and a 250 wRC+ in a tiny pattern measurement of plate appearances as a righty. Certainly, Edman has hit higher as a righty in each season of his profession. Nonetheless, when he tried batting right-handed towards right-handed pitchers every now and then final season, the outcomes had been poor. He produced a .665 OPS and 77 wRC+ in 61 journeys to the plate. Even worse, he went 0-for-4 batting righty towards righties over two video games in 2021. Will probably be price watching to see if Edman continues this experiment towards Estrada or any of the Padres’ different right-handers.
- Nursing a sprained proper ankle, Freddie Freeman’s standing was questionable heading into the NLDS. But, the Dodgers first baseman performed all 9 innings of Recreation 1, going 2-for-5 on the dish. He additionally stole a base. In a while, Freeman revealed to reporters (together with Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic) that he’s additionally coping with a bone bruise in his ankle. He says the bruise began to hassle house across the fourth inning final night time. However, the famously sturdy celebrity believes he can do all of it once more at the moment – with the assistance of the Dodgers coaching workers. After the sport, supervisor Dave Roberts joked that Freeman was “definitely medicated” (per Rosenthal), whereas Freeman expressed his gratitude to the coaching workers for getting him game-ready regardless of his vital accidents.
