The Mets got two injury updates that actually pointed in the right direction

The Mets got two pieces of real progress on the same day, which has not been the easiest sentence to write about this roster lately. Christian Scott threw a clean bullpen session, and Francisco Lindor is moving his rehab to Triple-A Syracuse tomorrow.

Neither move means a return is imminent. Both moves mean the Mets are finally getting the kind of updates that point forward instead of sideways.

Christian Scott’s timeline just got a lot more real

Scott threw his bullpen session today with no issues and expects to need one or two more before he is ready to go. That keeps him lined up to be activated on or around his eligibility date next Saturday.

That timeline matters because Scott was not a replaceable name when the right hip impingement put him on the injured list. He had a 3.10 ERA over nine starts before going down, which made him one of the few rotation arms the Mets could actually count on this season. That stretch was a genuine bright spot on a staff that has spent most of the year patching holes.

A clean bullpen with no setbacks is the right kind of boring. The Mets do not need anything dramatic from Scott right now. They need him to keep checking boxes on schedule, and so far that is exactly what is happening.

Lindor’s move to Syracuse is the step that actually matters

Lindor went 1-for-4 with a single and a run scored in his first rehab game with Double-A Binghamton, and now the Mets are bumping him up to Triple-A Syracuse tomorrow. They will reevaluate his readiness for an MLB return after that game.

The jump from Double-A to Triple-A is the part worth watching closely. Binghamton was about getting through a game without the calf barking back. Syracuse is a step closer to big league pace, and a clean outing there is usually the last box left to check before a player gets activated.

Lindor has been out since April 22, and the Mets have been careful with every step of this rehab on purpose given how long he has already missed. If Syracuse goes well, an activation could follow quickly. If anything feels off, the Mets have shown all rehab they will not rush it just because the calendar says it has been long enough.

Two updates, same direction

I do not think either update fixes the Mets by itself. Scott returning gives the rotation a reliable arm back. Lindor returning gives the lineup its best player back. Together, they are the first stretch in a while where the injury news has actually trended in the Mets’ favor instead of piling up against them.

Saturday is the next marker for Scott. Syracuse is the next marker for Lindor. Both are close enough now that the Mets can start planning around them instead of just waiting on them.