Seth Lugo says he's not concerned about broken toe
Mets pitcher Seth Lugo during a spring training workout on Sunday at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — For 30 years and three months, Seth Lugo lived life having never broken a bone. His streak ended Monday night in the most unexciting of ways: stubbing his toe on an ottoman in his hotel room.
That routine occurrence left Lugo with a fractured left pinky toe, but he reiterated Wednesday what manager Luis Rojas said a day prior: The Mets do not expect this to be a major issue.
“I hit 30 and I start breaking stuff,” Lugo, who turned 30 in November, said with a laugh. “No, it should be OK though. I’m not too concerned about it.
“I knew it hurt, but I was walking on it fine that night and woke up the next morning and it was bruised and pretty swollen. So I figured I’d get it checked out. It was fractured.”
Lugo also offered a clarification of Rojas’ initial plan: He indeed will keep throwing, but only on flat ground — not off a mound for at least a couple of days. (Rojas had said Lugo wouldn’t throw at all.) The righthander said he plans to play catch and long toss “with high intensity and high volume,” which should allow him to maintain arm strength while he doesn’t pitch.
Rojas added that Lugo will be held out of defensive drills as well while he recovers.
“I’m going to keep my arm in shape and take it easy on my feet for a couple of days,” Lugo said.
Extra bases
Acknowledging the obvious, Rojas said Jed Lowrie (unspecified right knee injury) and Yoenis Cespedes (broken ankle, heel surgeries) won’t be ready for the start of Grapefruit League play Saturday. … Drawing the first exhibition starting pitcher assignments: Rick Porcello (versus Marlins) and Marcus Stroman (at Cardinals in Jupiter) on a split-squad day. Then Steven Matz will pitch Sunday in Port St. Lucie against St. Louis. … Jeff McNeil (third base) and Dominic Smith (first base) have only worked in the infield so far but will eventually take turns in the outfield, Rojas said. … During a series of drills in which Mets practiced calling each other off from fly balls, Brandon Nimmo’s “I got it!” shout seemed louder than the rest.
