Rosario back in lineup following groin injury

LAKELAND, Fla. — Amed Rosario, playing for the first time since being pulled from a March 3 game with left knee tightness, had two at-bats as the designated hitter in the Mets’ 4-4 tie with the Tigers on Friday at Joker Marchant Stadium.

Rosario is expected to start at shortstop and play three innings Saturday in Tampa against the Yankees after missing nearly a week with what was later diagnosed as a groin injury.

After hitting a pair of ground balls and not running full speed on either of them, Rosario insisted he “felt great.”

Rosario added he was “scared” after coming back from the injury, but said he ran with more effort on the second ball and would be ready for full speed Saturday.

Rosario entered the game as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning Friday and came up again in the eighth.

“He probably wasn’t running quite as hard as he normally would because he’s a young kid making sure he’s healthy,” manager Mickey Callaway said. “He came out of it fine.”

Callaway also noted the importance of Rosario getting reps at short, especially with other starters.

Kevin Plawecki had another strong game and hit his first homer of the spring as the catcher continues to impress Callaway.

“We have some tough decisions to make — and not necessarily going into the season who’s going to be with us — [but] who’s gonna be playing?” Callaway said after Plawecki homered off former Mets prospect Michael Fulmer in the second inning.

If Plawecki can produce at the plate, he could press Travis

d’Arnaud for playing time. So far this spring, Plawecki is 6for-18 with six RBIs, while d’Arnaud is 5-for-17.

Hansel Robles’ struggles continued, as he gave up four runs — and two homers — in one inning.

“He’s just a little flat [and] leaving pitches up,” Callaway said. “He’s got to go out there and get ahead, establish he can throw that secondary pitch for a strike and bury it when he wants to.”

Callaway said he hopes quickening Robles’ delivery will make him more consistent.

Jeurys Familia, who said his shoulder was “tight” after giving up his first runs of the spring on Thursday, when he surrendered five runs in 1 ¹/3 innings to the Nationals, reported improvement Friday. … Anthony

Swarzak is closer to pitching in a game after pitching a bullpen session on Friday and reporting no issues with his calf. He is expected to be ready for Opening Day. … Dominic Smith (quad) remains day-to-day and Callaway said it would be “tough” to believe the first baseman would be ready for Opening Day.