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Sept. 9: INF Eddy Alvarez acquired from Red Sox, selected to Major League roster; INF Pablo Reyes DFA'd
After placing Jeff McNeil on the 10-day IL due to a fractured right wrist, the Mets acquired Alvarez in a Minor League trade with Boston on Sunday and selected him to the big league roster ahead of Monday's series opener in Toronto. A 34-year-old left-handed hitter, Alvarez can play second, third and shortstop as well as both corner outfield positions. Jose Iglesias is still expected to get the majority of reps at second base, but New York felt the need to add more flexibility in McNeil's absence.

Alvarez, who spent parts of the 2020-21 seasons with the Marlins before playing for the Dodgers in '22, hit .247 with an .811 OPS over 114 games with Triple-A Worcester this season.

Reyes made just one appearance for the Mets after being acquired from the Red Sox on May 25. He was hitting .283 with an .839 OPS in 58 games at Triple-A Syracuse.

Sept. 8: 2B/OF Jeff McNeil (fractured right wrist) lands on 10-day IL; OF DJ Stewart recalled from Triple-A Syracuse
McNeil was retroactively placed on the injured list to Saturday, when he and the club received the news that the veteran fractured his right wrist after being hit by a Brandon Williamson curveball in Friday's series opener vs. the Reds. There’s a slim chance that he could return to the Mets if they make a deep postseason run.

With Jose Iglesias slated to shoulder the load at second base, Stewart was recalled to provide outfield depth and a left-handed power bat off the bench. Stewart was previously optioned to Triple-A this past Thursday. It’s been an up-and-down season for the 30-year-old, slashing .175/.325/.299 in 154 at-bats for the Mets.

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10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST

RHP Paul Blackburn (right hand contusion)
Expected return: Potentially mid-September
Blackburn was scheduled to rejoin the Mets' rotation on Sept. 9 in Toronto, but he felt something in his lower back after his rehab outing with Triple-A Syracuse on Sept. 3. He received treatment for it, but it flared up again when he tried to run after playing catch on Sept. 8, which prompted the Mets to push back Blackburn's return. Tylor Megill was slated for his third start in Blackburn's place.

There was no immediate forecast for Blackburn's return, but there's hope he will need only one more turn through the rotation to recover from this back issue. The Mets will give it 48 hours to see how he responds, and if the discomfort persists, Blackburn will likely head back to New York for imaging. The 30-year-old has been out since taking a 100.3 mph line drive off his right hand on Aug. 23 against the Padres. Blackburn did not break any bones on the play, allowing him to recover quickly. He pitched into the seventh inning with Syracuse, so he won't need long to ramp back up once the back issue is resolved. (Last updated: Sept. 9)

RHP Dedniel Núñez (right forearm tightness)
Expected return: Late September
Núñez, who missed close to a month between July and August due to a right pronator strain, made an appearance on Aug. 24 before landing back on the IL with a similar injury. Núñez is "getting better, but slowly progressing," manager Carlos Mendoza said on Sept. 9 in Toronto, adding that Núñez may be getting to a point where his forearm symptoms go away completely. Núñez "had a good day" on Sept. 8, according to Mendoza, so the Mets will re-evaluate him in the coming days to see if a throwing progression is a feasible next step. If Núñez is still experiencing tightness by that point, it's possible he will need an MRI. When healthy, Núñez has been one of New York's best relievers, with a 2.31 ERA in 25 appearances this season. (Last updated: Sept. 9)

2B/OF Jeff McNeil (fractured right wrist)
Expected return: 4-6 weeks
McNeil was hit on the right wrist by a 74.3 mph curveball on Sept. 6, staying in the game for an inning before being pinch-hit for by Harrison Bader in his next at-bat. After the wrist swelled up, McNeil underwent MRI imaging on Sept. 7, which showed a small fracture. He was placed on the injured list on Sept. 8 (retroactive to Sept. 7), and is slated to miss the rest of the regular season.

No surgery is required for McNeil: the plan is to let the wrist heal, with an eye towards returning if the Mets make a deep postseason run. (Last updated: Sept. 8)

RHP Christian Scott (right elbow UCL sprain)
Expected return: Late September
Scott began complaining of elbow discomfort following a July 21 start in Miami, and a subsequent MRI revealed his sprain. But both Scott and Mets officials remain hopeful that the rookie right-hander can avoid major elbow surgery, which would likely cost him the entire 2025 season. To that end, Scott began playing catch on flat ground in late August and was tossing changeups and sliders off the slope of a mound as of Sept. 2. He should begin bullpen sessions soon. Scott's ability to make it back before the end of the season will go a long way toward determining his long-term prognosis. (Last updated: Sept. 2)

60-DAY INJURED LIST

RHP Kodai Senga (high-grade left calf strain)
Expected return: Possibly late September
Senga injured his leg coming off the mound in the sixth inning of the Mets' 8-4 victory over the Braves on July 26, went on the injured list one day later, and was transferred to the 60-day IL a day after that. He has spent all but one day of the season on the IL and will remain there until at least Sept. 25. But Senga began throwing bullpen sessions on Sept. 4, adding weight to the idea that he could return for the final week of the season and potentially October. He threw another standard 25-pitch bullpen on Sept. 7, continuing his buildup toward returning. The Mets could even consider using Senga as a reliever to get him back quicker. (Last updated: Sept. 7)

RHP Sean Reid-Foley (right shoulder impingement)
Expected return: Possibly late September
The Mets removed Reid-Foley from his rehab assignment in mid-August to give him time to strengthen his shoulder, which has affected him to varying extents since March. He resumed throwing in early September and could return to a mound the week of Sept. 9, but Reid-Foley still isn't sure if he'll be able to pitch again this season. He was transferred to the 60-day IL on Sept. 5. (Last updated: Sept. 6)

INF Ronny Mauricio (recovery from right knee surgery)
Expected return: 2025
The Mets announced on Aug. 2 that the 23-year-old underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove scar tissue in his right knee earlier in the week.

“Obviously not the news that you want,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “That’s part of the rehab process. It’s just a little bump in the road.”

Mauricio underwent a separate surgery in early January to repair a torn ACL in his right knee, which he injured during winter ball in the Dominican Republic. There had been hope he could return before the end of the regular season, but his second operation removed any possibility of that.

Mauricio slashed .248/.296/.347 with six extra-base hits, nine RBIs and seven stolen bases over a 26-game stint with the big league club in 2023. (Last updated: Aug. 2)

RHP Drew Smith (right elbow sprain)
Expected return: 2025
Smith underwent the second Tommy John surgery of his career on July 12, after doctors found significant ligament damage in his right elbow. The operation, which involved both a ligament reconstruction and the addition of a stabilizing internal brace, ended Smith's season.

The right-hander can be a free agent in November and could miss all of next season, depending on how quickly he progresses in his rehab. A typical timeline for Tommy John recoveries is 12-18 months. (Last updated: July 13)

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, which Dr. Keith Meister performed in Arlington, ended his season and possibly his Mets tenure.

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: June 30)

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