Mets’ J.D. Martinez day to day after getting plunked in left elbow
Adding injury to insult in a 9-4 beatdown at the hands of the Athletics was J.D. Martinez leaving the game early with an elbow contusion.
Martinez is day to day after X-rays were negative on his left elbow, which absorbed a 99.6-mph fastball in his lone plate appearance Tuesday.
The Mets DH — an important member of a struggling offense — was drilled by the Joe Boyle heater and jogged toward the visiting dugout, as if trying to run off the pain.
A trainer and manager Carlos Mendoza checked on Martinez, who remained in the game to run the bases and came around to score.
Sprinting from second base to home, though, was a struggle.
“Running, I felt like I got hit again,” Martinez said after the loss at Citi Field. “No strength, that’s what it feels like. Like you can’t squeeze your hand.”
But Martinez hoped he would be OK for Wednesday’s game and did not anticipate needing more testing.
He said he had a good sense his elbow wasn’t broken, but it hurt plenty just the same.
“Got him pretty good,” said Mendoza, who inserted Mark Vientos as the new DH in the third inning.
Vientos was out of the starting lineup for a second straight game with left ankle soreness and watched Jose Iglesias get the start at third.
Before the game, Mendoza believed Vientos would be back at third Wednesday.
“He’s feeling good,” Mendoza said. “He actually wanted to be in the lineup, but after coming out of the lineup on Sunday, we wanted to see him go through his pregame workout.”
Dedniel Nunez, who has been out since July 23 with a right pronator strain, threw a second bullpen session Tuesday since going down and is “feeling good,” Mendoza said.
The Mets will see how Nunez responds before deciding on another step, but the righty could throw another bullpen session or progress to a live batting practice, which would be one step before a rehab assignment.
Nunez could be within a week of a rehab assignment.
“We’re getting close,” said Mendoza, whose Mets will have bullpen decisions to make in the coming weeks.
The 28-year-old Nunez was a revelation after making his major league debut in May. In 24 ¹/₃ innings in June and July — many of which were accrued in multi-inning bursts out of the pen — Nunez pitched to a 2.22 ERA with 30 strikeouts, walked five and held hitters to a .182 average.
The Mets would love the same kind of production whenever Nunez is ready but do not have a particularly flexible group of relievers.
The only bullpen arms on the major league roster who can be optioned to the minors are Alex Young (the lone lefty), Reed Garrett (who just returned from injury and has been invaluable when right), Jose Butto (arguably the most reliable arm in the pen) and Huascar Brazoban (a deadline addition with an overall ERA of 3.22 this year).
Or the Mets could go the DFA route with someone like Adam Ottavino (who has bounced back from a dreadful May) or deadline addition Ryne Stanek, who has struggled thus far but has a promising track record.
Eventually there will have to be room for Nunez and perhaps Sean Reid-Foley, too, who is rehabbing from a right shoulder impingement but was not sharp in his first five minor league games.
Starling Marte went 1-for-4 and played right field with Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday.
Because Wednesday is a day game for Syracuse, Mendoza did not believe Marte would play back-to-back games yet.
If Marte, who is recovering a bone bruise in his right knee, is able to play consecutively on Thursday and Friday without issue, he could be a major league option this weekend, Mendoza said.
Drew Smith, who underwent Tommy John surgery last month, is back around the team.
Smith, wearing a brace on his right arm, said he feels good.
The Texas native had surgery in his home state and rehabbed initially in Texas, but he wanted to rejoin his teammates and received permission from president of baseball operations David Stearns to do so.
The Mets held a moment of silence for Mike Cubbage, a former player and coach with the team who died Saturday at 74.
The Mets signed veteran outfielder Eddie Rosario to a minor league deal, a source confirmed.
Rosario, a 10-year pro who won the World Series with the Braves in 2021 — when he was NLCS MVP — had appeared in 91 games with the Nationals and Braves this season and hit just .175 with a .531 OPS.
Atlanta designated the 32-year-old for assignment on Aug. 8, and shortly after he elected free agency.
Rosario, a lefty bat who has done most of his damage against righties for his career, will report to Triple-A Syracuse and appears to represent further outfield depth.
— Additional reporting by Bridget Reilly
