Jed Lowrie is back in the field for the first time since May. The New York Mets infielder is playing the field in a rehab assignment.
The New York Mets are approaching the final stretch of what should be a tightly-contested National League Wild Card race. They’ll need all hands on deck.
Jed Lowrie, the long-forgotten and oft-injured infielder, has yet to appear in an MLB game this season. But there’s a sliver of hope that he might return in time for a stretch run.
Jed Lowrie is playing the field tonight for the first time since May 11. He’s starting at second base as his rehab assignment continues with the St. Lucie #Mets.
— Jacob Resnick (@Jacob_Resnick) August 24, 2019
This is another positive, albeit small, step forward for Lowrie. The versatile infielder recently appeared as a designated hitter for New York’s Single-A squad, the St. Lucie Mets.
He showed out well as a hitter, driving in a run on an infield single. Even more important than the RBI was the fact that Lowrie cruised down the first baseline en route to the single. Playing the field is the natural next step for Lowrie.
The 11-year veteran had a career resurgence in his most recent stint with the Oakland Athletics. In his last two seasons there, Lowrie slashed .272/.356/.448 while averaging 18 home runs and 84 RBIs per season. Not to mention, he was named an All-Star for the first time in his career in 2018.
The Mets were counting on Lowrie to be an everyday player this season, but the emergences of J.D. Davis and Jeff McNeil have helped mitigate his absence.
The Mets play the Atlanta Braves on Saturday night for the second matchup of a three-game set. Zack Wheeler takes the bump against Atlanta’s Max Fried.