Luis Robert Jr. is officially back in the New York Mets lineup after nearly three months on the injured list, and his return comes at a pivotal moment for their outfield mix. The Mets activated their star outfielder from a serious lumbar spine disk herniation just before kicking off their three-game series in Milwaukee on Monday. This guy last played way back on April 26, so getting him back on the field is a massive deal for the team.
The Outfield Shuffle is ON
Robert Jr., who’s 28, immediately jumped into the starting lineup for Monday’s game, batting seventh and playing center field against All-Star flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski. That’s a bold move, and it shows how much the Mets needed his bat and glove. Mets interim manager Andy Green didn’t sugarcoat the plan either, saying Robert Jr. will likely play “two out of three days” initially to ease him back. That’s smart management, giving him time to get his legs under him after such a long layoff. His return totally changes the outfield dynamic, no doubt. A.J. Ewing, who’d been holding down center, shifted to right field on Monday, while five-time All-Star Juan Soto was chilling in left. Carson Benge, who’s been all over the outfield this season, actually found himself out of the starting lineup completely. Green made it clear that Robert Jr. would stick to center field, explaining that the other guys are comfortable moving around, but Robert Jr. isn’t, especially “on the fly in the middle of the season.” You gotta respect keeping players comfortable where they perform best. Before hitting the IL, Robert Jr., a 2023 All-Star acquired from the White Sox in January, was hitting .224 with a .327 on-base percentage, two homers, eight RBIs, and two steals in 24 games. The Mets also made room by optioning infielder Eric Wagaman and outrighting infielder Zack Short, who honestly weren’t setting the world on fire with their bats. Wagaman was hitting .162, and Short was at a meager 1 for 14 with the Mets.
Yankees and Dodgers Facing Tough Calls
Meanwhile, other teams are dealing with some major injury headaches. Over in New York, Yankees lefty Carlos Rodón is still battling it out, receiving multiple injections, including a PRP shot, after throwing just ten pitches off a mound on Friday. Ten pitches! The guy just can’t catch a break. Rodón ended his June on the IL with left elbow inflammation, and his season only started in May because he was recovering from elbow surgery last October. He had a decent 3.30 ERA in 46 ⅓ innings before the inflammation hit, but his walk rate spiked to a career-worst 5.1 per nine, which is a big concern. He’s not expected back until early August at best, and that’s if his elbow responds to the throwing program and any minor league rehab stint. Elsewhere, Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts announced Sunday that superstar Shohei Ohtani will miss his next start as a pitcher. At least he’s still hitting, right? It’s always something with injuries in this league.
Keep an eye on how the Mets manage Robert Jr.’s workload in the coming weeks and if that outfield rotation really clicks. For the Yankees, the immediate future hinges on how Rodón’s elbow responds after these injections. And for Ohtani, we’ll see how quickly he gets back on the mound. This season is getting spicy, folks, don’t miss a pitch!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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