New York Mets: Juan Lagares likely out for remainder of the 2018 season
Another injury has hit the New York Mets – this time it’s losing their best defensive outfielder for the rest of the season.
New York Mets outfielder Juan Lagares is expected to miss the remainder of the season after colliding with the outfield wall on Wednesday. Initially thought to be a more benign injury, Lagares’ hyperextended toe will require surgery. Jerry Blevins is expected to be activated from the Paternity List to replace Lagares’ roster spot.
Juan Lagares had been one of the Mets’ strongest performers before his injury, slashing .339/.375/.390.
Injuries may put Mets hot start may be behind them
The Mets started the season as hot as anyone in baseball. In their first 12 games, the Mets just lost one. Since then, they’ve gone 9-18, and their recent injuries aren’t going to help them stay competitive in their suddenly highly-competitive division.
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Before Lagares went down, Yoenis Cespedes had also just been put on the 10-day disabled list. He was officially designated on Wednesday, but his placement is retroactive to Monday. Cespedes was batting .333 in his five games before his injury.
The New York Mets’ hot streak had started to stall long before the injury bug caught them, but with the injuries to Lagares and Cespedes, the Mets’ viability as a postseason team is in jeopardy.
NL East speeding up around the New York Mets
Heading into the 2018 season, it may have seemed like the Washington Nationals were the only team they needed to beat. But now four teams in the NL East are playing spoiler to one another (sorry Miami).
Atlanta has the best record in the National League at 26-16. After Philadelphia’s rough start, Gabe Kapler has rallied his team to 25-16, which is good for the second best record in the NL. The Mets are in no way bound to roll over and disappear from a postseason hunt, but their October baseball aspirations will fall short if they’re dependent on their division slowing down.
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With Cespedes out for at least a week and Juan Lagares for the season, the New York Mets will have to look elsewhere for offensive leaders. Fortunately for the Mets, however, their pitching carries them more frequently than their hitting. Don’t count the Mets just yet.