The Mets may probably get a giant 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 part of the group’s taxi squad immediately, two days after welcoming his second little one. 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 can be ramped up and able to play in time for the NLCS, ought to the Mets win two extra video games in opposition to the Phillies within the NLDS. Nevertheless, 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 residence runs and 15 doubles with an .859 OPS and 140 wRC+ over his closing 55 video games. The veteran seemed way more just like the model of himself that received a Silver Slugger and a batting title in 2022. Even when he can’t get again to fairly that stage of efficiency, his lefty bat must be a beneficial addition to a righty-heavy Mets lineup; he may take over from Jose Iglesias at second base or Starling Marte in proper discipline 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 recreation yesterday, working 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 purpose to imagine 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 subsequent recreation off. He began the sport after that on the bench earlier than coming into as a pinch hitter.
Extra notes from the NL postseason groups…
- Tommy Edman began in heart discipline for the Dodgers final evening, 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 proper facet (h/t to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic). It was the primary time all season Edman tried to bat right-handed in opposition to a right-handed pitcher. To that time, he batted as a lefty in opposition to the opposite two right-handers he confronted final evening: Dylan Stop and Bryan Hoeing. It was an unconventional, however not solely unreasonable, alternative 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 residence runs, a 1.299 OPS, and a 250 wRC+ in a tiny pattern dimension of plate appearances as a righty. Certainly, Edman has hit higher as a righty in each season of his profession. Nevertheless, when he tried batting right-handed in opposition to right-handed pitchers from time to time final season, the outcomes have 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 in opposition to righties over two video games in 2021. It is going to be price watching to see if Edman continues this experiment in opposition to 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. Afterward, 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 trouble residence across the fourth inning final evening. However, the famously sturdy celebrity believes he can do all of it once more immediately – with the assistance of the Dodgers coaching employees. After the sport, supervisor Dave Roberts joked that Freeman was “definitely medicated” (per Rosenthal), whereas Freeman expressed his gratitude to the coaching employees for getting him game-ready regardless of his important accidents.
