CINCINNATI — Jeff McNeil left the Mets’ game Wednesday after trying to beat out an infield grounder in the eighth inning, but manager Luis Rojas quelled any injury concerns, saying the infielder simply was fatigued.
“He’s played six in a row, with this one on the road trip, all the games,” Rojas said after the Mets beat the Reds 7-0 at Great American Ball Park. “He just came back and I talked to him about it because he tried to lay it out and he was just a little fatigued. We just removed him from the game. We have guys that are fresh.”
Asked if there were any specific physical issue associated with the fatigue, Rojas said there wasn’t.
“No soreness,” Rojas said.
McNeil spent over a month on the injured list after straining his left hamstring running the bases in May. Rojas said that played into the equation of removing him from this latest game.
“It was all a precautionary decision at the moment,” Rojas said.
A decision hasn’t been reached on Carlos Carrasco’s next step, a day after the right-hander allowed three homers in just 1 ²/₃ innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Syracuse. The Mets have considered pitching Carrasco on Sunday against the Blue Jays at Citi Field, after only two rehab appearances in his comeback from a torn right hamstring.
Carrasco’s command was his issue Tuesday, according to Rojas.
“Three home runs, he was off with his command,” Rojas said. “But stuff-wise he’s the same since he’s been throwing the ball and we’ve had our reads behind catchers. No concern there as far as where the stuff is.”
The Mets need a starter for Sunday and two more for a doubleheader Monday against the Braves. At this point, team officials are leaning toward starting Marcus Stroman on Tuesday in what will be a nine-inning game.
Anthony Banda, Stephen Nogosek and Nick Tropeano are among the candidates for starting duty in the doubleheader.
Travis Blankenhorn and Tropeano were recalled from Syracuse after Robert Stock was placed on the injured list with a right hamstring strain and Geoff Hartlieb was optioned. Blankenhorn gives the Mets another backup infielder after Jose Peraza’s was placed on the IL with a fractured right middle finger.
The Mets traded outfielder Billy McKinney to the Dodgers for outfielder Carlos Rincon and cash considerations. Rincon was assigned to Double-A Binghamton. McKinney had been designated for assignment last week upon J.D. Davis’ return from the IL.
In another organizational depth move, the Mets claimed right-handed pitcher Roel Ramirez off waivers from the Cardinals and assigned him to Syracuse. Ramirez appeared in one game for the Cardinals in each of the past two seasons.
