Ahead of Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza gave updates on a few players…
Mark Vientos’ rehab assignment is nearing
Vientos has missed 10 straight games after a right hamstring strain he suffered earlier this month, but the slugging infielder is nearing a return and the Mets skipper had a positive update on where he is in the rehab process.
Mendoza said that Vientos will have his first rehab assignment next week. The team isn’t sure if it’ll be Tuesday or Wednesday. They want Vientos to have two more days of batting practice and baseball activity — with the poor weather, Vientos will be hitting in the cage below the dugout on Saturday — before he goes on assignment with Syracuse.
“He ran yesterday up to 90 percent, he’s full go as far as hitting, taking ground balls,” Mendoza said. “The goal is for him to start playing some games in Triple-A next week.”
Vientos has struggled in his first season as an everyday player. When he was injured, he was slashing .230/.298/.438 with an. 735 OPS with six home runs, eight doubles and 21 RBI.
What to look for in Sean Manaea’s next rehab start
The Mets southpaw is set to make his third rehab start on Sunday and after two starts, Mendoza was asked what he and the organization are looking to see from Manaea.
“Just to go out there and be himself,” Mendoza said. “Where he’s at in his rehab process, it’s more how he’s feeling afterwards… At this point, it’s more as he’s increasing that pitch count, how is he going to feel the next few days.”
Mendoza said Manaea (oblique) is still early in the rehab process, so results are not what they are necessarily looking for — unlike what’s going on with Frankie Montas — but that doesn’t mean the left-hander hasn’t done well with the Brooklyn Cyclones.
Manaea’s first start saw him give up four runs (three earned) in 1.2 innings, but the second saw progress. He struck out four while allowing one hit, one walk, and one hit-by-pitch across 2.2 scoreless innings (46 pitches, 31 strikes).
With Kodai Senga (hamstring) expected to miss an extended period of time, Manaea’s imminent return will boost the Mets rotation.
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