Walker is back and ready for changes
SEATTLE— Neil Walker returned to a changed team Friday. The second baseman was activated off the disabled list before the series opener against the Mariners and said he was prepared to adapt as the Mets needed him to.
But Friday night, Walker was back in the lineup at second base for the first time since June 14, when he partially tore his left hamstring. With the Mets in sell-off mode and the roster in flux after dealing Lucas Duda to the Rays Thursday, Walker has been doing work at third and first.
“I’ve felt comfortable really in my career moving around a little bit,” said Walker, who played third base in his minor league rehab stint to prepare in case the Mets can move Asdrubal Cabrera. “I haven’t had to do it for several years, but it’s really just about reps. Whatever scenario might arrive I am going to try to be as prepared as possible for it.
“But, as far as I know, I am going to be playing second base until otherwise told.”
That got a little more certain Friday when the Mets announced that T.J. Rivera had been diagnosed with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right (throwing) elbow. While not as devastating an injury to an infielder as a pitcher, it is still going to be weeks until the utility infielder is able to determine if he will need to have Tommy John surgery. He had a platelet-rich plasma injection and will try to avoid surgery.
Juan Lagares played through a similar issue in 2015, but for Rivera, an undrafted free agent, it was a pretty big blow. Rivera was hitting .290 with 27 RBI in 73 games this season.
“As I told him yesterday, he’s worked so hard to get here and established himself as a big league player, he has to be sure he stays as healthy as he can.” Terry Collins said.
Walker is hitting .270 with nine home runs and 33 RBI in 60 games this year and had a big single Friday night in the 8th inning that put the Mets ahead.
Walker has regularly taken ground balls at first base this season and is ready to adapt.
“Whatever the future holds for me, I am going to probably have to do some of that,” Walker said. “It’s just the way baseball is.”
LUCAS STAYS CLASSY
After the shock of being traded and a redeye flight back to New York, Lucas Duda was taking the high road about being dealt from the Mets to the Rays. With his new team at Yankee Stadium Friday, Duda — who homered in Tampa’s loss — shared thoughts on the team that drafted him in 2007.
“The Mets have been a first class organization from top to bottom. They treated me unbelievably well, and for that fact I’m very thankful and very blessed I was able to spend the time I did with them,” Duda told reporters at Yankee Stadium. “That being said. I’m ready for a new chapter. I’m ready to be in the hunt. And I’m excited to say the least.”