LATEST NEWS

May 31: 1B Ji Man Choi granted his release
Choi, who fell just short of making the Mets' Opening Day roster, exercised the June 1 opt-out clause in his contract and was subsequently granted his release by the Mets.

The veteran first baseman hit just .190/.317/.357 in 26 games at Triple-A Syracuse and may have trouble finding a big league job with those numbers. But he remains blocked in New York by Pete Alonso, Mark Vientos and DJ Stewart, giving him reason to believe he can find a better Minor League situation elsewhere.

May 31: INF Jose Iglesias and RHP Dedniel Núñez recalled from Triple-A Syracuse; 3B Brett Baty and RHP Christian Scott optioned to Triple-A; C Luis Torrens acquired from the Yankees for cash; C Omar Narváez designated for assignment
For various, mostly short-term reasons, the Mets executed a slew of roster moves prior to Friday's game against the Diamondbacks. It means a trip back to the Minors for Baty and Scott, though the club does not believe either player will be there long.

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10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST

C Francisco Alvarez (torn ligament in left thumb)
Expected return: Mid-June
Alvarez, who tore a ligament in his left thumb in an April 19 game against the Dodgers, caught seven innings for Double-A Binghamton on Saturday and was expected to be behind the plate again on Sunday. Alvarez will then take the day off on Monday and continue his progression in the Minor Leagues.

While it's not entirely clear how long his rehab assignment will last, Alvarez is only eligible to stay in the Minors through June 18.

Since undergoing surgery on April 23 to repair a torn UCL in his thumb, Alvarez has made rapid progress. His rehab assignment is his final step before a return to active duty, though even after he returns, Alvarez plans to wear a splint underneath his catcher's mitt and batting glove to protect his thumb.

For as long as Alvarez remains sidelined, Tomás Nido and new acquisition Luis Torrens will split duties behind the plate. Once Alvarez returns, the Mets will have to choose between those two as his backup. (June 1)

RHP Drew Smith (right shoulder soreness)
Expected return: Early June
Smith could be activated from the injured list on Sunday or Monday, according to manager Carlos Mendoza.

Smith, who began experiencing shoulder tightness during his big league outings in late April, made two rehab appearances for Triple-A Syracuse early in May but felt a "pinch" in the back of his shoulder as he was preparing to come off the IL on May 14.

The Mets never considered the setback serious, and Smith resumed a rehab assignment with a perfect inning for High-A Brooklyn on May 26. (Last updated: June 1)

INF/OF Jett Williams (right wrist soreness; No. 1 on Mets' Top 30 Prospects list)
Toward the end of April, Williams began dealing with a bout of right wrist soreness, which has kept him off the field since April 21 and landed him on the seven-day Minor League IL. To treat it, Williams received a cortisone injection in early May, but his soreness persisted enough for doctors to administer a second shot later in the month. He intends to test his wrist by swinging a bat for the first time on June 1.

If Williams' wrist doesn't fully heal from the second injection, the Mets will explore alternative treatment options, such as surgery. (Last updated: May 31)

OF Drew Gilbert (right hamstring strain; No. 2 on Mets' Top 30 Prospects list)
Expected return: Late June
Gilbert, the top prospect the Mets acquired from the Astros in the Justin Verlander trade last summer, hasn’t played since straining his right hamstring in the second game of an April 6 doubleheader for Triple-A Syracuse. He is on the seven-day Minor League IL but has been deliberate in his rehab process and is unlikely to return until late June. (Last updated: May 31)

RHP Shintaro Fujinami (right shoulder strain)
Expected return: Possibly July
In a procedural move, the Mets recalled Fujinami and placed him on the 15-day IL on May 13, which will eventually allow them to transfer him on the 60-day IL and remove him from the 40-man roster. Team officials expect Fujinami to miss at least six to eight weeks with his injury, which could take him into July. The good news is the club is confident that Fujinami, who signed a $3.25 million contract shortly before the start of Spring Training, will not require surgery. (Last updated: May 31)

LHP Brooks Raley (left UCL strain)
Expected return: 2025
Raley, a heavily used reliever who was having trouble recovering between outings in mid-April, had Tommy John surgery on May 29. The procedure was performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas. Raley is done for the season.

Because of a clause in Raley's contract, he is eligible to become a free agent in November despite having fewer than six years of service time. As such, he may have already thrown his final pitch with the Mets. (Last updated: May 30)

RHP Edwin Díaz (right shoulder impingement)
Expected return: Mid-June
Minutes before a May 29 game against the Dodgers, the Mets announced that Díaz was heading to the 15-day IL with a shoulder impingement. The move is retroactive to May 26, making June 10 the earliest possible return date for Díaz. He said he expects to return on or around that time.

Before the IL assignment, Díaz had been going through one of the worst stretches of his career, with three blown saves in four opportunities and a 9.58 ERA over his last 10 outings. (Last updated: May 29)

60-DAY INJURED LIST

INF Ronny Mauricio (recovery from right knee surgery)
Expected return: Possibly September
Mauricio underwent surgery in early January to repair a torn ACL in his right knee, which he injured during winter ball in the Dominican Republic. A typical return timetable for that operation is eight to 12 months, giving Mauricio an outside chance to rejoin the Mets in September. If not, he'll return in 2025.

As of a late-May update, Mauricio had begun running and hitting. According to vice president of player development Andy Green, "everything is progressing as it should." But the Mets won't have a great read on his ability to play this year until much later in the summer. (Last updated: May 31)

RHP Kodai Senga (right posterior shoulder capsule strain)
Expected return: Possibly July
Senga, who had advanced to throwing live batting practice in late April before moving backward in his progression, suffered another setback when he cancelled his May 19 bullpen session due to triceps tightness. Five days later, Senga was still feeling enough discomfort to go for another MRI, which revealed nerve inflammation in his right triceps area. He resumed playing catch on May 28.

The Mets are allowing Senga to dictate his rehab schedule without pushing him. Before his latest setback, Senga said he wanted to work his mechanics into top form before stretching out as a starter. The process has been not only deliberate, but also slowed by multiple physical setbacks. Given how much time Senga has taken between mound sessions thus far, even a June return at this point appears unlikely. His exact timeline will remain murky until he begins a Minor League rehab assignment, which won't happen until well into June. (Last updated: May 28)

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