Banking On Health

By : Mike Rifkin

With the MLB trade deadline passing my biggest takeaway on the New York Mets is that they are banking on the guys currently injured to have big returns. 

The Mets at the trade deadline added Darin Ruf from the Giants for JD Davis and three prospects. Ruf will DH when the team faces a left handed pitcher. Nine of Ruf’s eleven home runs and has a slash line of .252/.364/.523  against lefties. Ruf will DH vs lefties while Daniel Vogelbach will DH against right handed pitchers. The Mets also acquired reliever Mychal Givens from the Cubs. Givens was 6-2 with a 2.66 ERA and had 51 strikeouts in 40.2 innings pitched. Givens pitched for Mets manager Buck Showalter in Baltimore.

Trevor May who is likely to be activated before today’s game in Washington, James McCann who is likely to be back some time this weekend ,Drew Smith and Tylor Megill. May who has been out since April with a stress reaction in his right humerus had a 8.64 ERA before going on the IL. Drew Smith who is currently on the IL with a back issue got off to a tremendous start including 13.1 consecutive scoreless innings to start the season. Tylor Megill who started for the Mets on opening day has been on the IL with shoulder issues. Megill was 4-2 with a ERA over 5 and has 47 strikeouts in 41.1 innings pitched.James McCann who is currently on a rehab assignment for the second time following an oblique injury. McCann on the season is hitting .183 with two home runs and 11 RBI. Following his first IL stint with a broken hamate bone McCann was looking to get more comfortable at the plate. But even with the lack of offense from McCann so far this season he is very good at calling games and throwing out potential base stealers. But the most important return was in last night’s game where Mets ace Jacob deGrom returned after more than a year on the shelf. DeGrom went five innings giving up a run on three hits and striking out six. If the Mets rotation stays healthy with DeGrom and Scherzer at the top it is formidable.

Mets GM Billy Eppler said they were close to adding a catcher and a left handed reliever and just couldn’t come to terms on a deal. Most fans are unsatisfied with what happened especially after seeing what division rivals Phillies and Braves did, but the Mets are banking on the guys coming back from injury as insurance instead of making a big deal. It’s not always the big deal that wins you a pennant every year.