Mets put Tomas Nido on IL, call up Michael Perez
Tomas Nido #3 of the Mets connects on run scoring sacrifice bunt during the eighth inning against Atlanta in the second game of a double header at Citi Field on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022. Credit: Jim McIsaac
ATLANTA — After the Mets said Monday that he was out with a “non-injury-related illness,” Tomas Nido went on the injured list without a specific designation — which for the past three seasons has been code for COVID-connected.
The Mets called up catcher Michael Perez, whom they acquired from the Pirates last month, to fill in for Nido.
This absence comes at an unfortunate time for Nido, who is hitting .271 with a .702 OPS since the All-Star break. The Mets now will have to rely more on James McCann, who started behind the plate Monday for a second day in a row, something he hadn’t done since late June, before his most recent injury.
There is no minimum amount of time a player must miss when on the COVID IL. He can return as soon as he satisfies the testing requirements negotiated by MLB and the players’ union.
Looking ahead
The postseason schedule, released by MLB on Monday, underscored the benefit of the Mets locking up the NL East and No. 2 seed: After finishing the regular season Oct. 5, they wouldn’t start the NLDS until Oct. 11, which would allow them to rest up and arrange their rotation however they’d like.
An unusual feature of the schedule: the lack of a second off/travel day during the Division Series (between Games 4 and 5) and Championship Series (between Games 5 and 6). That will impact the way teams handle their pitching staffs.
“I’ll gladly do it,” Francisco Lindor said.
Manager Buck Showalter echoed: “It may not even affect us if we don’t get there.”
Extra bases
David Peterson, who physically rejoined the team Monday in advance of his scheduled start during the doubleheader Saturday against the Phillies, has had a weird couple of weeks. That included consecutive starts on short rest — last Wednesday, followed by Sunday — with Triple-A Syracuse to line up for another major-league cameo this weekend . . . Showalter on utility pitcher Trevor Williams, who has a 20-inning scoreless streak: “He’s just been able to dial up what we’ve needed. And teams have to have a guy like him to be successful.”
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
