The Mets misplaced 12 video games in a row earlier this month. You would possibly’ve heard one thing about this. You additionally could be conscious that the Mets have been with out their finest participant, Juan Soto, for that complete 12-game skid. Soto, who’d be the perfect participant on most groups, was on the shelf with a strained calf.
Soto got here again on April 22, and as if by literary contrivance, the Mets’ skid stopped instantly. One 3-2 win at house in opposition to the Twins, and the Mets have been all set to attempt to dig themselves out of that gap.
Or so that you’d suppose.
The very night time the Mets broke their dropping streak, Francisco Lindor suffered a calf harm of his personal. Final time a gaggle of individuals had this a lot calf bother, the story ended with Moses destroying the unique copy of the Ten Commandments. (For those who’ve ever needed to make a panicked late-night Kinko’s run, know it may possibly all the time worsen.) With beginning first baseman Jorge Polanco already on the IL with wrist and Achilles accidents, Lindor’s harm left the Mets with out half their beginning infield.
However wait, there’s extra! On Tuesday, the Mets positioned Kodai Senga on the IL with lumbar backbone irritation. On Thursday morning, they did the identical with heart fielder Luis Robert Jr., who additionally has a lumbar backbone harm.
There’s no timetable for Senga’s return, although the excellent news is that Robert’s harm is barely totally different. The outfielder is receiving remedy for spinal disc herniation, higher often known as what, Steve Levy?
Robert is getting an epidural to take the sting off, and isn’t anticipated to overlook rather more than the 10-game minimal. That’s not too massive a priority; over 162 video games, nearly each participant goes to herniate or pressure or subluxate one thing and want every week off his toes.
Lindor, nonetheless, faces a for much longer spell on the sidelines. And the Mets began the season with out beginning pitcher Tylor Megill and high-leverage relievers A.J. Minter and Reed Garrett, who’re all carrying accidents from 2025.
| Participant | Damage | Out Since | Estimated Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| A.J. Minter | Lat tear | Might 2025 | Earlier than Might 9 |
| Tylor Megill | Tommy John | September 2025 | Unknown |
| Reed Garrett | Tommy John | October 2025 | Unknown |
| Jared Younger | Meniscus tear | April 12 | Early June |
| Jorge Polanco | Wrist/Achilles | April 14 | Week-to-week |
| Francisco Lindor | Calf pressure | April 22 | Finish of Might |
| Luis Robert Jr. | Herniated disc | April 26 | ~ Two weeks |
| Kodai Senga | Lumbar backbone irritation | April 26 | Unknown |
This record doesn’t embody each potential contributor. Mike Tauchman has a torn meniscus, however even probably the most ardent Mets fan would concede that any season that hinged on Tauchman’s knee had already been misplaced. I wasn’t even going to incorporate Younger, however he went 7-for-20 with two doubles earlier than his personal meniscus tear. (Why are all these accidents coming in pairs? Are the Mets getting a BOGO deal on the pressing care?)
That makes Younger the Mets’ fourth-most worthwhile place participant by WAR to date this season, behind Soto (oops), Lindor (double oops), and Francisco Alvarez, who regardless of being outrageously injury-prone all through his profession, has but to come back to grief this season.
Knock on wooden.
The Mets have had a tricky go of it on the harm entrance, however that’s not a singular drawback. Let he who’s with out harm throw the primary stone. (Really, he who’s with out harm might be extra able to throwing a stone than he who’s recovering from shoulder surgical procedure.)
However the Mets have had their two finest gamers within the lineup on the identical time for a complete of 4 and a half innings since April 2. And since a bunch of different stuff has gone fallacious (Robert’s harm, gradual begins for returners Mark Vientos and Brett Baty, gradual begins for newcomers Bo Bichette and Marcus Semien, Carson Benge taking some time to regulate to the majors), the Mets have needed to do some bizarre stuff to compensate.
Particularly, we’re taking a look at no. 3 hitter MJ Melendez. Suffice it to say, that’s not a place any group needs to be on this early within the season. Melendez is in his fifth main league season, and throughout his first 4 journeys via the large leagues, he solely acquired above substitute degree as soon as, and that point by lower than half a win. He’s a kind of gamers you’ll be able to’t describe precisely with out sounding like you’ve it in for the man.
Melendez has good bat velocity and is an honest athlete, and but final yr, the Royals left him in Omaha for many of the season. The identical Royals who wanted pop so badly they let Jac Caglianone hit .157 in 62 video games. I used to be going to make a snide remark about how massive the downgrade is from Lindor to Ronny Mauricio at shortstop, and but… Mauricio has a profession wRC+ of 78. Melendez, who’s a nook outfielder, and never a superb one, has a profession wRC+ of 90.
Simply having Melendez on the roster, not to mention in the midst of the lineup, is the equal of sending up misery flares. And but, Melendez has been by far the perfect factor concerning the Mets to date this season.
Positive, it’s solely 11 video games, and he’s struck out 12 instances in his first 33 plate appearances, however the Mets aren’t precisely brief on causes to fret concerning the future. Let’s take pleasure in this one. On Thursday afternoon, Melendez went 2-for-2 with a house run and a sacrifice fly, bringing his whole batting line to .346/.406/.655 — precisely the identical batting common as Soto’s. Melendez drove in three of the Mets’ 4 runs earlier than he left the sport within the eighth inning.
To not fear: Melendez is in good well being. Carlos Mendoza pinch-hit Austin Slater for Melendez with the left-handed Richard Lovelady on the mound for Washington. Slater grounded out, and yanking the group’s new folks hero didn’t precisely go over properly with Mets followers, however that’s most likely the appropriate transfer from a dispassionate tactical standpoint.
The Slater-for-Melendez incident does relate to the larger difficulty: There’s not likely an entire lot the Mets can do about this harm bug. I imply, stretch, keep hydrated, and attempt to solely get damage one after the other if doable. However I’d blame their terrible April much less on accidents and extra on the truth that Soto and Melendez are the one ones who’re holding the appropriate finish of the bat in the mean time.
The Lindor harm is a significant blow, particularly as a result of he’s been so sturdy all through his profession, and double-especially if this calf harm sidelines him for a very long time. However aside from that: Robert goes to be again quickly. Minter, due to when he began his rehab task, must be again within the majors throughout the subsequent 9 days. Megill is just not a load-bearing a part of the rotation, and whereas Senga arguably is, the Mets have made do with out him earlier than.
They want their remaining gamers — Baty, Benge, Bichette, and numerous different non-alliterative people — to begin placing runs on the board. If not, there’ll be no hope left for Lindor to come back again to.
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