Buck Showalter intentionally vague about injury timelines for Mets
Mets manager Buck Showalter (11) works in the dugout in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Wednesday, June 1, 2022. Credit: AP/John Minchillo
The good Mets injury news on Wednesday was that Brandon Nimmo was back in the starting lineup and leading off, although he did go 0-for-5 in a 5-0 victory over the Nationals.
But beyond that, manager Buck Showalter was intentionally vague, getting asked so many questions seeking injury updates before the game that he eventually acknowledged he is keeping a private list on which he estimates when everyone will be back.
That includes pitcher Jacob deGrom, about whom Showalter admitted he knows more than he lets on, for fear or having fans and journalists obsess over perceived setbacks or perceived good news.
“He’s going to be ready as soon as he can – and be healthy,” Showalter said.
DeGrom will join the team on its West Coast trip after he tends to a family matter over the next couple of days, Showalter said.
“Baseball gods laugh if you tell them about your plan, so I don’t make it public,” he said about his players’ injuries. “I’ve got an idea of what order I think they’ll come back.”
Extra bases
Francisco Lindor’s streak of 10 consecutive games with an RBI tied Mike Piazza for the second-longest such streak in franchise history. Piazza also has the longest – at 15 games . . . Nationals starter Evan Lee allowed four hits and two earned runs in 3 2/3 innings in his major league debut. He lost to Altoona five days earlier in a start for Double-A Harrisburg . . . When Showalter asked SNY announcer Gary Cohen what book he would bring for the long flight to Los Angeles, Cohen said he has a Kindle with multiple books on it. Said Showalter: “A Kindle? That’s that computer-looking thing. l got one of those years ago for Christmas. It’s still in my office. I’ll bet it’s too old – out of date.”
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
