Mets welcome Tebow to his future
Tim Tebow arrived at the New York Mets’ minor-league clubhouse Monday morning in Port St. Lucie, Fla., finding an orange-and-blue jersey with No. 15 on the back in his locker.
It’s the same color scheme he wore as a national champion and Heisman Trophy winner at Florida. And now he’s wearing it again as he tries to find a place in baseball, going through his first workout with the Mets’ instructional-league squad.
He showed some power, hitting three balls in batting practice off the chain-link fence in right-center — better than just about everyone else did. He showed some rust, popping up a half-dozen pitches in that same BP session. And he showed a need for work, after one of his throws sailed well over someone’s head during a simple game of catch.
“It was great to just go through a warm-up,” Tebow said, “and go through drills, just have fun, take BP, get to know all the guys, try to remember as many names as possible.”
Tebow is one of 58 players on the instructional-league roster, and at 29, he’s four years older than any other invitee. Two of the players on the roster won’t turn 18 until next year.
Tebow’s last time playing true organized baseball was in his junior year of high school. He worked out for scouts last month, and the Mets signed him to a deal that included a $100,000 bonus. Injury report: Boston knuckleballer Steven Wright (shoulder) has started a throwing program at the team’s spring training facility in Fort Myers, Fla., but manager John Farrell did not give an estimated date for his return . ... Houston pitcher Dallas Keuchel (shoulder) and infielder Alex Breg- man (hamstring) are likely done for the rest of the regular season, general manager Jeff Luhnow told MLB.com. ... Lefty Steven Matz could rejoin the Mets and start Friday against Philadelphia. He hasn’t pitched since Aug. 14 because of a shoulder injury . ... Rays outfielder Steven Souza will undergo season-ending hip surgery Wednesday, the Tampa Bay Times reported . ... Baltimore outfielder/first baseman Steve Pearce will have forearm surgery and is expected to be sidelined at least four months . ... The Rockies announced that first baseman Mark Reynolds will not need surgery on his broken left thumb. Paying homage: The Yankees will honor first baseman Mark Teixeira in a ceremony before their regular-season finale against Baltimore on Oct. 2. Teixeira, 36, announced in August his plans to retire after the season.