Mets place Todd Frazier on disabled list after cortisone shot
Mets third baseman Todd Frazier will be sidelined by a strained muscle in his left rib cage. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Todd Frazier, a beacon of health in his first seven years as a major-leaguer, is on the disabled list for the second time in two months. The Mets put their third baseman on the DL on Monday with a strained left rib cage, suffered progressively during his three at-bats Sunday.
“I talked to [athletic trainers] after the second at-bat and I said, ‘I’m feeling a little something, I think I’ll be all right,’ ” Frazier said. “It wasn’t.”
Frazier, 32, went on the DL for the first time in his career in May with a left hamstring strain, missing about a month.
“The older I get, I still feel like I’m in control of my body, and something like this happens,” he said. “It’s unfortunate. It stinks. But there’s nothing else I can do about it. Just keep on trying to get better, and hopefully this isn’t a long ordeal.”
Frazier, who received a cortisone shot, said he hopes to be back after next week’s All-Star break. Neither he nor manager Mickey Callaway would estimate how long he will be out.
“We’ve seen what’s happened with some of our DL stints this year, and it’s hard to guess how long they’re going to be,” Callaway said. “From what the doctor says, it’s a very mild rib muscle strain that the shot should take care of pretty quickly.”
Ty Kelly was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas to take Frazier’s roster spot. Callaway said Kelly, Jose Reyes and Wilmer Flores are options at third.
Nimmo disappointed
Brandon Nimmo acknowledged his disappointment in not being selected for the All-Star Game, but he chose to look at the bright side.
“I’m comparing myself with All-Stars, so that’s awesome,” Nimmo said. “That’s encouraging because of where I started this year. I was supposed to be a bench player. To even be in these All-Star conversations, I should be really proud of that and really happy about that.”
Nimmo still can be added to the All-Star roster if another position player drops out. Among NL outfielders, Nimmo began the week second in OPS at .901.
Extra bases
The Mets are optimistic that Noah Syndergaard (strained right index finger) and Jason Vargas (strained right calf) will return to the majors this weekend. Vargas struck out nine in six shutout innings Monday in a rehab start for Class A Brooklyn . . . The Mets recalled P.J. Conlon from Las Vegas and optioned Chris Flexen. They brought up Jacob Rhame as the 26th man for the doubleheader, activated Jerry Blevins from the bereavement list and designated Chris Beck for assignment . . . In advance of Drew Gagnon’s major-league debut and start Tuesday, the Mets will have to clear space on the 25-man roster . . . The Mets promoted first-round pick Jarred Kelenic to rookie-level Kingsport from the rookie-level Gulf Coast League. Kelenic, 18, had a .413/.451/.609 slash line in a dozen GCL games.
