Story by
Latest Mets injury could force bombshell Bo Bichette change
- Story by
- Latest Mets injury could force bombshell Bo Bichette change
Latest Mets injury could force bombshell Bo Bichette change appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The New York Mets lost another infield option Saturday when Ronny Mauricio fractured his left thumb during a 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Angels . The injury occurred in the seventh inning on a chopper to the right side when Mauricio and first baseman Nolan Schanuel both slid headfirst into first base after pitcher Reid Detmers was late to cover, resulting in Mauricio's thumb fracture. New York placed him on the injured list before Sunday's series finale.
Advertisement
Mauricio had been starting at shortstop in place of injured All-Star Francisco Lindor , who has been sidelined since April 22-23 with a left calf strain and is expected to miss until late May or early June. Mauricio batted .219 through 10 games, collecting seven hits in 32 at-bats with 1 home run, two RBIs, three runs scored, a .219 OBP, and a .313 SLG.
With both Lindor and Mauricio unavailable, the Mets are now evaluating internal options . Manager Carlos Mendoza indicated that Bo Bichette is a strong candidate to shift back to shortstop, his natural position. Bichette, who signed a three-year, $126 million deal and moved to third base due to Lindor's presence, has played 30 games at third base this season with a .970 fielding percentage and two errors.
Over his career, Bichette has logged 718 games at shortstop, including 132 last season, but also posted -12 Defensive Runs Saved and -12 Outs Above Average defensively at the position. He replaced Mauricio for the final four innings on Saturday.
Other New York injury concerns include Jorge Polanco , Luis Robert Jr. , Kodai Senga , and Jared Young , with Triple-A options such as Jackson Cluff, Christian Arroyo , and Vidal Bruján under consideration, along with Eric Wagaman . If Bichette moves to shortstop, Brett Baty could handle third base, forming a possible infield of Baty, Bichette, Marcus Semien , and Mark Vientos .
Advertisement
The Mets currently hold an 11-22 record, the worst in MLB, and trail the Atlanta Braves by 12.5 games in the NL East.
Related: Mets make roster move after Ronny Mauricio breaks thumb
Related: MLB rumors: Bob Nightengale puts Joe Espada on notice with Carlos Mendoza 'safe'
