d'Arnaud slated to start week-long rehab stint

NEW YORK -- One offensive boost arrived Friday for the Mets in the form of outfield prospect Michael Conforto. Another should come this weekend in the form of reported trade acquisitions Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson. And yet another will be on the way soon, if it ever stops raining in Florida.

Catcher Travis d'Arnaud has been scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Class A Advanced St. Lucie for days, but the team was rained out Thursday and Friday. He will try again in a doubleheader Saturday in Viera, Fla.

D'Arnaud, 26, was hitting .296 with four home runs in 19 games this season before landing on the disabled list June 23 with a sprained left elbow. The Mets initially believed the injury to be mild, but they have now been without their starting catcher for over a month.

A former top prospect, d'Arnaud has appeared in just 158 games over his first three seasons due to a variety of arm, head and foot injuries. Twice this year, he has landed on the DL, in addition to one stint last year and multiple major injuries at Triple-A in 2012 and '13.

General manager Sandy Alderson said d'Arnaud should be fit to return to the Mets after approximately a one-week rehab assignment. Rookie Kevin Plawecki has absorbed most of d'Arnaud's at-bats over the past month, with Anthony Recker and Johnny Monell seeing significant time as well.

Between Conforto, d'Arnaud, Uribe and Johnson, the Mets could wind up adding four significant offensive pieces in a one-week span. Third baseman David Wright, who has been on the disabled list since April, is also making progress, but he is not expected back for at least another month.