New York Mets utility player Dominic Smith took live batting practice on Monday, could possibly be activated this week.
Dominic Smith definitely hasn’t played the amount of baseball he was hoping to in 2019. The New York Mets utility player has only appeared in 88 games, having hit 10 home runs, and 22 RBI. He’s posted a slash line of .278/.352/.506.
The last time Smith played in a game was on July 26, where the Mets defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3 at home. The veteran has been dealing with a stress reaction in his left foot.
Despite the regular season only having one week left, Smith is making strides toward returning to the team, which could ultimately occur on Wednesday.
Dominic Smith (stress fracture in left foot) took live batting practice today against Robert Gsellman as he inches toward a return.
Smith is scheduled to have a follow-up CT scan on Wednesday. If that comes back clean, the Mets could activate him then.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) September 23, 2019
Right-handed reliever Robert Gsellman hasn’t made an appearance on the mound since Aug. 11. Gsellman suffered a partial tear in his right lat muscle.
If the Mets were to activate Smith on Wednesday, it’s unclear how much playing time he’d truly get. It wouldn’t be the greatest idea to throw him in the game and risk further injury if the Mets are out of playoff contention at that point.
That’s a very possible situation as well, with the Mets 4.5 games back in the National League Wild Card race with seven left to play.
If Smith doesn’t end up playing, he’ll just have to look forward to a productive 2020 season. That’s what Gsellman will have to do.
The Mets face a seven-game homestand to end the regular season. On Monday night, they’ll host the visiting Miami Marlins and begin a four-game series against the basement of the NL East. Following that, they’ll have a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves, the top of the NL East.
