The Mets introduced that outfielder Starling Marte has been positioned on the 10-day injured checklist, retroactive to June 23, with a proper knee bone bruise. Outfielder Ben Gamel has been chosen to take his spot on the roster. The membership already had a emptiness on their 40-man, which is now full.
It was reported over the weekend that Marte has been coping with knee soreness for about three weeks. He has been enjoying via the ailment and customarily performing effectively, nevertheless it appeared to change into an excessive amount of lately. He departed Saturday’s recreation attributable to that knee and was set for an MRI on Monday. It’s unclear how lengthy the Mets count on him to be out, however they’ll give him no less than one other week to relaxation up.
The knee soreness didn’t appear to be slowing him down a lot, as he’s presently sporting a line of .278/.328/.416 for the yr, manufacturing which interprets to a 116 wRC+. That features a wonderful .304/.360/.457 exhibiting within the month of June, when the difficulty cropped up.
It’s been a pleasant bounceback for Marte, who hit simply .248/.301/.324 for a 76 wRC+ final yr whereas coping with lingering results of groin surgical procedure. He was again to well being and in good kind for the primary half of this yr however will now have to beat this bone bruise earlier than persevering with along with his bounceback season.
That’s a loss for the Mets, given how effectively Marte has been performing. They nonetheless have Brandon Nimmo and Harrison Bader in two outfield spots, however Marte’s absence may open up extra enjoying time for DJ Stewart or Tyrone Taylor. Stewart can hit however isn’t an incredible fielder, whereas Taylor has been within the inverse place this yr.
The 32-year-old Gamel will be a part of the outfield combine alongside these two. He signed a minor league cope with the Mets within the offseason and has been performing very effectively in Triple-A this yr. He has drawn a stroll in 16.3% of his 190 plate appearances and has additionally hit seven dwelling runs. A .400 batting common on balls in play has additionally helped, with Gamel sporting a line of .314/.423/.538 and 149 wRC+ on the yr for Syracuse.
Carrying even a fraction of that to the large leagues can be a pleasant enhance for the membership, although it’s a far cry from his profession numbers within the massive leagues. He has hit .252/.332/.384 in his in his 685 main league video games relationship again to his 2016 debut, resulting in a 96 wRC+. He has been enjoying all three outfield slots for Syracuse this yr and has finished so in his main league profession, making him a stable match for a bench function on the large league membership whereas Marte is out.
Gamel has greater than 5 years of main league service time and due to this fact can’t be optioned with out his consent, so he’ll must be faraway from the 40-man if the Mets need to take him off the lively roster later within the season.