Both the Mets and Red Sox have high expectations after active offseasons. However, both teams are dealing with injury troubles. Jeff McNeil and Lucas Giolito will both begin the season on the IL, leaving their respective squad’s depth chart up in the air.
Updates on Giolito & McNeil
The Mets will be without Jeff McNeil when New York (NL) opens up the season in Houston. McNeil will be shut down for at least a week thanks to an oblique strain.
McNeil played 129 games last season, missing most of the final month plus the first two rounds of the playoffs thanks to a wrist fracture. How the Mets will replace McNeil, however, will be interesting to see.
Nick Madrigal, an offseason acquisition, is done for the year, while Jose Iglesias is in San Diego. The team has given Brett Baty reps at second base this spring, while Luisangel Acuna is also an option.
Additionally, the Red Sox — who played the Mets in Port. St Lucie today — will begin the regular season with Lucas Giolito on the IL thanks to a hamstring strain. Giolito, who signed with the Red Sox two winters ago, has yet to throw a pitch for Boston, as he missed all of 2024.
Giolito will be one of several Red Sox pitchers to begin 2025 on the IL. Brayan Bello will also begin the year on the injured list with a shoulder problem.
Kutter Crawford, sidelined this spring with a knee problem, has yet to pitch in a game thus far. Earlier this week, Red Sox manager Alex Core stated he’s not yet ready for baseball activities, likely leaving him to start on the IL.
Sean Newcomb (0.93 ERA, 10 K over 9.2 IP) and Richard Fitts (1.42 ERA, 9 K over 6.1 IP), two potential rotation candidates, have pitched well in Grapefruit League action.
Other news
The Mets got some good news today, as Brandon Nimmo was able to return to the lineup on March 13 against the Red Sox. Nimmo went 1-3 with an RBI in the DH slot.
It was Nimmo’s second game of the spring, as he missed most of camp thus far with a knee issue.
As for the Blue Jays, Max Scherzer had an MRI on his right thumb. The MRI showed some inflammation, per Scherzer. But, nothing serious was found.
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