Wednesday marked Jeff McNeil’s 17th game back from the injured list after missing a month with a hamstring strain.
The Mets second baseman believes he is beginning to find his groove again, and it was on display with his first career walk-off hit in a 4-3 win over the Brewers in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Citi Field.
“I never had a walk-off hit, so that was a lot of fun — fun celebrating with the boys,” McNeil said.
Before going 2-for-4 in Game 1, McNeil was hitting 11-for-49 (.224) with no extra-base hits since coming off the IL. But he is beginning to settle back in as an important piece of the Mets lineup, with Wednesday marking his fourth multi-hit effort in his last seven starts, batting 9-for-26 (.346) in that span.
“I think I’m swinging the bat a lot better the last week or so, so feeling good,” said McNeil, who drew a pinch-hit walk in the Mets’ 5-0 loss in the nightcap.
It looks like the Mets will not, in fact, have all their starting positions players back by the All-Star break.
J.D. Davis (left hand sprain) was the last one left on the injured list and was initially trending toward returning by this weekend. But manager Luis Rojas said Wednesday that the Mets are not “strongly committed” to bringing him back from his rehab assignment before the break.
“We think at this point that he should take more at-bats, so maybe during the break stays there and he has more [at-bats],” Rojas said. “That’s a conversation we gotta keep having.… But at this point we’re not feeling strong with him coming either Saturday or Sunday to join us just for a game or two and the All-Star break.”
Davis was set to play in his fifth rehab game Wednesday with Triple-A Syracuse. It was his second rehab stint after the first one got cut short in May with his hand still not fully healthy.
James McCann did not start Game 1 but came off the bench for a key nine-pitch walk in the eighth inning to load the bases before McNeil’s walk-off.
“He’s been another force for us when he doesn’t start a game and we want to match up against a lefty,” Rojas said. “You gotta give kudos to McCann, who I think is a free swinger, but his focus was really good in that at-bat. He was able to lay off and put us in a spot to win.”
Miguel Castro continued a rough stretch, giving up a two-run homer in one-third of an inning in Game 2. … Rojas said Corey Oswalt (right knee inflammation) had his knee drained of fluids on Monday before hitting the IL on Tuesday.