Jeff McNeil was placed on the injured list in the early days September due to a fractured right wrist. He expressed the hope of returning to play, but only if New York Mets make a significant run in 2024 playoffs.
McNeil stated that “my return to the playing field would be a good sign” at the time. Since then, the Mets have achieved this positive sign by progressing to National League Championship Series. McNeil’s chances of joining them are good.
McNeil’s potential return and the Mets strategy
Carlos Mendoza revealed that McNeil will be participating in the Arizona Fall League matches taking place on Saturday and Friday. McNeil is expected to play at least seven innings and have four plate appearances in each game. McNeil’s chances of making the Mets NLCS roster will be determined before Sunday’s Game 1.
Mendoza said that the goal was to have McNeil play back-toback games in order to get a sense of the rhythm of the game, endure the ups-and-downs, and play the full game. Major League Baseball approved McNeil’s participation at the Arizona Fall League because of the impact Hurricane Milton had on the Mets spring training facility in Port St. Lucie.
The Implications and Return of McNeil
McNeil had been the Mets primary second baseman before his injury on 7 September, caused by a pitched ball. He played at second base for 95 games and made 22 starts in left and right fields. McNeil was the NL batting champion of 2022 but had a challenging year. He recorded lows for his career in batting average and on-base percentage.
Jose Iglesias, the Mets’ second baseman, became the Mets’ regular after McNeil left. Iglesias has a batting avg of.348 with an OPS of.789 in 29 games played during the regular season and postseason.
Without McNeil, the Mets included rookie Luisangel Acuña in their National League Division Series roster. If the Mets decide to maintain a balance of 13 pitchers and 13 position players in the NLCS, McNeil could potentially replace Acuña. However, Mendoza hinted that the team might consider carrying one less pitcher, thus accommodating both McNeil and Acuña on the roster.
