Mets make big-time infield shuffle
Eduardo Escobar of the New York Mets throws for on out from second base against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field on Saturday in the Queens. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The Mets infield got a big-time shuffle Saturday – part of an ongoing effort to rest some key players and potentially create versatility that could benefit them down the stretch, Buck Showalter said.
Eduardo Escobar moved from his regular third base to play second, while Mark Canha played first for the 121st game of his nine-year career. Jeff McNeil, who was kept out of the starting lineup, wasn’t feeling any lingering effects from hitting the ground hard in the outfield on a dive Friday, Showalter added. That said, he’s looking for opportunities to spell McNeil, who’s played in every game this season, as well as Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo. Alonso was the designated hitter Saturday.
“They’ve been working at it for two weeks,” Showalter said of Escobar and Canha. “It creates versatility, creates ways for guys to be better players down the road. We all get caught up in one game in a long season but in order to create things, we have to be able to do stuff like this.”
Carrasco still ill. Carlos Carrasco’s rehab start will be pushed until further notice as he battles a virus, Showalter said. The righthander, who’s dealing with bone spurs in his elbow, hasn’t pitched since April 15.
“He’s not doing well,” Showalter said. “We’re not sure [to when he'll be pushed back] yet. We’re just going to have to let it run its course and see where we slot him in."
Marte stays put (for now). Showalter said he’d consider moving a slumping Startling Marte down from his usual spot in the two hole, but that a change would cause other challenges for a lineup that’s recently struggled to produce.
“It’s something I’ve looked at and thought about and the other arteries it creates by doing it is a challenge,” said Showalter of Marte, who came into the day hitting .219. “We still have a lot of faith that he’ll find that way. He’s had some good games but he just hasn’t been as consistent as he’s going to be.”
Notes & quotes: Joey Lucchesi will likely start Sunday in the series finale, Showalter said…Showalter said he spoke to Nimmo about the baserunning gaffe that essentially cost the Mets the game Thursday but didn’t want to belabor the point. “It’s a fine line,” he said. “If you start making guys over-analyze every little thing that they’re going to do, you’re going to make them fearful of ever taking a chance, then you become a real robotic, station to station, ultra-safe [team], and that doesn’t work, either.”
Laura Albanese is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. She's been covering MLB since 2014 after starting at Newsday as an intern seven years earlier.
