Marisnick lands on IL, likely ending season
We hardly knew you, Jake Marisnick. The center fielder’s Mets career likely came to a close on Monday, with the news he was going back on the 10-day injured list with right hamstring tightness, capping an injury-filled shortened season for the former Astro.
“I think frustration is kind of a good word for it,” he said before the Mets 2-1 loss to the AL East-leading Rays. “That first hamstring was something that set me back, and you bring up the short season, and again for me personally I’m going to push injuries as hard as I can to get back and get playing. Then the next one pops up. So it’s been frustrating. I don’t like sitting on the sidelines watching. This hurts a little bit for me.”
The free agent-to-be joined a group of defense-first center fielders general manager Brodie Van Wagenen dealt prospects for that produced very little, a trio that also included Keon Broxton and Billy Hamilton.
The Mets traded prospects Blake Taylor and Kenedy Corona for the 29-year-old Marisnick, who received just 33 at-bats and appeared in just 16 games as a Met. Taylor, meanwhile, has pitched well out of the bullpen for the Astros, notching a 2.41 ERA over 18 2/3 innings with 16 strikeouts.
Acquired as a right-handed complement to Brandon Nimmo in center field, Marisnick actually hit better than expected, albeit in a small sample size, hitting two homers, driving in five runs and going 11for-33 at the plate. He just couldn’t stay healthy, slowed by numerous minor injuries. It has left most of the center-field duties to Nimmo, who has produced offensively with a .911 OPS but has struggled defensively.
Marisnick went on the IL with a left hamstring strain four games into the season and hurt his right hamstring on Sept. 12 against the Blue Jays. He appeared in two games since then, most recently Friday against the Braves.
“In a season like this you have to push things a little harder than you would a normal season. That’s how I’ve done things my whole career,” he said. “I’ll take it to the brink and I think we got to that point. I wasn’t able to do what I’m capable of . ... I like playing until I can’t play anymore and the last couple of days it’s been pretty sore.”
Now he will enter free agency coming off a lost year, with very few at-bats to speak of. And the Mets will have received very little for a few prospects. The trade didn’t work well for either the player or the team, though Marisnick didn’t rule out a return.
“My experience here has been great, it’s a great group,” he said. “They welcomed me with open arms. They’ve been supportive through all this. They know I’ve been frustrated. I’ve had a great time here.”