Neil Walkin’ in Memphis for rehab
METS second baseman Neil Walker said he will travel to Memphis Friday to begin a rehab assignment with the Mets’ Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas 51s. Walker has been on the disabled list since June 15 with a partial tear of his left hamstring.
“Probably Friday morning,” Walker said before Wednesday’s 7-3 win over the Cardinals at Citi Field, when asked when he would depart. The 51s play the Memphis Redbirds, the Triple-A affiliate of the Cardinals, in a four-game series.
Walker said he expects to play second base when he returns and has not been told otherwise by anyone in the organization yet. The Mets have talked to Asdrubal Cabrera about playing third base when Walker comes back and Terry Collins said the veteran was OK with the idea.
Cabrera has been playing second in Walker’s place, but Cabrera earlier this season in San Francisco voiced his unhappiness with being switched to second from shortstop. As the trade deadline approaches, Cabrera could be a possible trading chip and playing him at third increases his value. The Red Sox might be a possible suitor for Cabrera as they have a need to fill third base, after designating Pablo Sandoval for assignment, and using a combination of Deven Marrero, Brock Holt and Tzu-Wei Lin at the Hot Corner. An industry source said that the Red Sox interest in Cabrera is “not there yet.”
Walker, who said he will continue to wear a knee brace playing in games, hopes to play with Las Vegas just through the weekend and then join the Mets in San Diego Monday. Collins hopes to have Walker back next week too.
“The running has been great. The knee is not bothering (Walker) at all running. They put him through three straight days of some pretty good running drills,” Collins said.