LOS ANGELES -- Mets shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, sidelined since June 13 due to a sprained left thumb, began a rehab assignment Tuesday with Class A Advanced St. Lucie. The Mets expect Cabrera to return in time for Friday's series opener in San Francisco.
Cabrera rapped out two hits in four at-bats, including an RBI single, and scored a run. He played seven innings at shortstop.
Once Cabrera returns to the Mets, the team will plug him back in as its everyday shortstop, shifting Jose Reyes to third base. Though the Mets have discussed moving Cabrera from shortstop -- where he has made 11 errors in 43 games this season -- to third, allowing Reyes to settle in at his natural position, the team is unwilling to go that route at this time.
"If we decide to make the switch, you've got to give him time to go play over there," Collins said. "It's one thing that we have not done. Cabby's played one game at third base in the big leagues. I don't want to run him over there and then all of the sudden he starts to struggle offensively because he's having trouble making the adjustments."
Cabrera's anticipated quick return from the DL is part of the reason why the Mets did not promote No. 1 prospectAmed Rosario from Triple-A Las Vegas when second baseman Neil Walker hit the DL last week. For now, Mets officials say the team is committed to some combination of Reyes, Cabrera, T.J. Rivera and Wilmer Flores at second base, third base and shortstop.
That isn't likely to change anytime soon, unless the Mets become Trade Deadline sellers and begin a rebuilding process. Rosario entered Tuesday's play batting just .238 over his last 10 games at Las Vegas, dragging his season average down from .409 on May 1 to .325. He also has 11 errors in 65 games with the 51s.