Replacements won’t take back seat just yet
The reinforcements are starting to arrive for the Mets, but the replacements have been doing an admirable job while they wait.
With Pete Alonso and Kevin Pillar about to be activated off the IL, the Mets will look more whole when they open their series with the Diamondbacks on Monday night. But guys like Brandon Drury and Billy McKinney have helped the Mets stay in first place in the NL East with the injured list seeming to grow longer every day.
“It’s great to have a lefthanded bat and a righthanded bat swinging the bat like they’ve done it,” Mets manager Luis Rojas said Sunday after the team’s game with the Braves was rained out.
Drury and McKinney made major contributions to Saturday’s 13-2 laugher over the Braves. Each of them homered in the sixth inning as the Mets turned a 4-1 game into an 11-1 blowout. Drury hit a two-run shot off of Edgar Santana and McKinney knocked in three runs with his home run off of Jay Flaa.
McKinney joined the team Wednesday’s trade with the Brewers. So far, he has started three games in right field, but Rojas said the team has bigger plans for him with regular outfielders Brandon Nimmo and Michael Conforto on the shelf.
“McKinney right now is a guy that’s going to be in the lineup a lot and he’s going to play all three [spots] in the outfield,” Rojas said. “He’s even going to play some center. That’s something we’ve talked about that he may get his chance there.”
McKinney has scored three runs and has three RBIs. He has looked good in the field with several nice catches. McKinney has fit right in.
“It’s kind of a surreal feeling at first, but everyone’s been so welcoming and helping me out throughout this whole process and making everything easier for me,” McKinney said. “I’m starting to feel welcome, with open arms. Everyone’s been great just helping me through that process.”
The Mets signed Drury in January to provide some depth in the infield. With Alonso, Jeff McNeil and J.D. Davis on the injured list, the Mets called him up on May 21. He has played first base, third base, left field and right field so far. In seven games, he has two home runs, four RBIs and two runs scored.
“In Drury’s case, he’s going to help us in a lot of places,” Rojas said. “His versatility he’s showed during the week is something we were pleased to see, playing left, playing right, playing first. He can play some third for us. If he swings the bat like he’s been swinging lately, we can find a spot for him to give guys a blow. There’s a lot of guys that have played a lot lately just because of the situation we’re at. If guys like this are swinging, they can give guys a blow and at the same time help us offensively and defensively.”