The New York Mets are going through one of the worst injury crisis that a professional team has had to endure in recent memory, in all sports. They had up to 16 players on the injured list earlier in the week, more than half the size of a major league roster.
And while Jacob deGrom made a successful return to action on Tuesday, the Mets received bad news on Michael Conforto, Carlos Carrasco, and Jeff McNeil respective hamstring injuries – all of them are now expected to take until late June to heal – and also on Noah Syndergaard’s right elbow, as he suffered a setback last night on a rehab start.
The outfield has been ravaged by injuries, as well. The Mets are currently without Brandon Nimmo, Kevin Pillar, Albert Almora Jr., Johneshwy Fargas, Conforto, and others.
That’s why the Mets decided to go to the trade market and bring a warm body to take some of the available playing time while the injured players recover from their respective ailments.
The Mets acquired Billy McKinney
The Mets acquired outfielder Billy McKinney from the Brewers late Tuesday night in exchange for Minor League pitcher Pedro Quintana, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.
Mets’ acting general manager Zack Scott had stated this week that he was on the phone virtually all day trying to field a competitive, healthy roster, and he didn’t dismiss the possibility of going to the trade market to do so.
McKinney, the author of one of the catchers of the year so far in Major League Baseball, has some pop, as evidenced by his 21 homers in 511 MLB plate appearances. But he also has issues making consistent contact and has a.226/.285/.422 line in the Majors.
To clear roster space for McKinney, the Mets will likely place Fargas on the injured list.
Brewers’ manager Craig Counsell had praise for McKinney. “Players want opportunities. Players like Billy, sometimes it feels like they don’t get a ton of opportunities, and you don’t know when they’re coming. Being able to deliver on those opportunities is easier said than done, but that’s what Billy’s doing. He’s been an impactful player. He’s played really good defense. He’s been a spark.â€