After Rod Barajas ripped his two-run double down the left-field line last night, Jeff Francoeur realized his teammate did something perhaps no one else could.
“I think he’s the only one who could hit that pitch and hit it fair because of his swing,” Francoeur said.
Even on low pitches, Barajas’ uppercut swing still is a weapon. Thanks to his unorthodox swing, the Mets catcher delivered again last night.
Barajas racked up three more RBIs in the Mets’ 5-0 win over the Phillies, giving him 27, the most of any catcher in baseball. Add that to his catcher-leading 10 homers and it’s been quite the first season in Flushing.
Barajas, though, hurt his right wrist last night on a wild pitch by Jenrry Mejia in the seventh inning. Mets trainer Ray Ramirez came out to check on Barajas, who stayed in the game. X-rays were negative, but Barajas said he’s not sure if he’ll be able to play in tonight’s series finale.
“It’s really sore,” he said. “It doesn’t feel good right now.”
The Mets can’t afford to lose Barajas for long, especially considering how much he has crushed the Phillies since departing the City of Brotherly Love after his 2007 stint there. He’s now played 10 games against the Phils over the last three years, with the Blue Jays and Mets, batting .531 (17-for-32) with seven homers and 18 RBIs.
“I think it’s just coincidence,” he said.
Barajas, who also delivered a sac fly in the second, didn’t join the Mets until spring training after being unable to find a job.
“He’s got something to come out and prove,” Francoeur said, “and he’s doing a hell of a job.”
“The way the offseason went for me, it was very, very disappointing,” Barajas said. “When you go unsigned into the middle of February. . . . I don’t know what the reason was.”
Last night, Barajas delivered in his first at-bat, coming up in the second inning with men on second and third and with an early opportunity to take the lead against Joe Blanton. Barajas lofted a sacrifice fly to left, giving the Mets a 1-0 lead. In the sixth, he knocked his two-run double.