Surging Mets Lose Two Players to Broken Bones
The New York Mets on Sunday suffered two costly injuries losing Travis d’Arnaud their catcher and Jerry Blevins a southpaw reliever with broken bones.
Despite those injuries, New York defeated the Marlins for their eighth straight win. Matt Harvey battled sickness to win his third consecutive start.
D’Arnaud suffered his broken bone after being hit by a pitch in the seventh inning by A.J. Ramos that fractured a bone in his right hand.
Just a half inning prior to that, in the top of the seventh, Blevins was hit by a Dee Gordon line drive and fractured his left forearm. Blevins finished the play but had to leave the game. Terry Collins the Mets manager said the day was not a good one even though they had won.
Both of the Mets’ players will go on the disabled list Sandy Alderson the general manager announced late Sunday.
Kevin Plawecki a prospect at catching for the Mets and Hansel Robles a reliever will be called up from Las Vegas the Mets Triple A affiliate.
Plawecki will now be the No. 1 catcher, while Anthony Recker will remain the backup, said Collins.
D’Arnaud called Plawecki a great player, a great catcher and very smart. He added that the prospect can swing the bat very well and can work with the Mets pitching staff well.
Alex Torres will now become the primary southpaw reliever in the absence of Blevins. The Mets have lefty Sean Gilmartin as well in the bullpen but neither Gilmartin nor Torres is a specialist.
The injury news that upset the Mets has extended to players in rehab. Vic Black a reliever whose assignment for rehab was in Binghamton was sent over the weekend to the hospital to have MRIs on his neck and shoulder.
Alderson said the team would not know how long both Blevins and d’Arnaud will be out until they have been examined on Monday by hand specialists in Manhattan.
D’Arnaud at the time of his injury was batting .317 with two home runs and 10 runs batted in. He had thrown out 3 of the 7 base runners that attempted to steal against the Mets this season.
Blevins was acquired by the Mets, the night before the season opener from Washington for Matt den Dekker an outfielder after Josh Edgin the lefty specialist underwent a Tommy John surgery.
This season batters were 0-15 versus Blevins with lefties hitless in their 14 at bats.
Collins said that Blevins had been doing a tremendous job and that the injury was a big blow for the team.
Despite the quick start for the Mets this season, they have been dealt blows by injuries. David Wright went on the DL last week with a strained hamstring, while Zack Wheeler also needed a Tommy John surgery back in March.
Nonetheless, the Mets are 10-3 and have their longest winning streak in over five years.
