Mets Suffer Significant Losses: Winker and Minter Out of Action
The New York Mets team faces a hard blow after the injuries of two of their key players were confirmed. Designated hitter Jesse Winker will be out of action for six to eight weeks due to a Grade 2 oblique strain, according to manager Carlos Mendoza.
In addition, reliever A.J. Minter will undergo surgery that will prevent him from playing for the rest of the season, due to a torn latissimus dorsi muscle. Minter, who was signed by the Mets to a two-year, $22 million contract during the offseason to strengthen the bridge to closer Edwin Díaz, had an ERA of 1.64 in 13 appearances this season.
Infielder Brett Baty will take Winker’s place on the Major League roster, after being called up from Triple-A Syracuse.
Winker left the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals due to right side discomfort. The injury occurred while making a throw to the plate in the third inning, during his first start of the season in left field, after having played almost all the time this year in a designated hitter rotation with Starling Marte.
Baty, 25, hit .204 with a home run and four RBIs for the Mets earlier this season.
“The fact that he can play second base, he can obviously play third, a left-handed hitter,” Mendoza said. “It allows me to rotate the DH a little more.”
Carlos Mendoza
Winker, 31 years old and a left-handed hitter, is batting .239 with one home run and 10 RBIs this season.
