With Recker hurting, Mets trade for catching depth

NEW YORK -- On a day the Mets learned that another of their catchers is battling injury, the team traded for some depth behind the plate.

The Mets acquired catcher Dan Rohlfing from the Twins for cash considerations on Wednesday, shortly after Anthony Recker was diagnosed with a bone spur in his right elbow that should not cost him any time. Recker plans to play through the condition for now, though he may need to have the spur removed after this season.

"He'd have to lose half his arm for him to miss a game," manager Terry Collins said.

The Mets are already proceeding without starting catcher Travis d'Arnaud, who will miss at least a month with a fractured right pinkie finger. His injury prompted the club to promote prospect Kevin Plawecki earlier this week, leaving a vacancy at Triple-A Las Vegas.

That is where Rohlfing, who hit .205 with a .618 OPS in 76 games last season for Triple-A Rochester, will report.

Recker, 31, is 0-for-3 with four walks in four games this season, serving as the backup first to d'Arnaud, and more recently to Plawecki. He made significant strides throwing out baserunners from 2013 to '14, improving from a 21-percent success rate to 37 percent.

Recker said he feels no discomfort in his elbow while throwing, only while swinging a bat. And even then, he is not in pain; the only reason he visited a doctor was because he woke up earlier this week with some stiffness in his elbow. Tests on Wednesday revealed the bone spur, surrounded by an area of inflammation.

"We'll just wait till the end of the year and see what it looks like then," Recker said. "For now, I'm not worried about it."

The Mets currently have nine players on the disabled list, including pitchers Zack Wheeler and Josh Edgin, who are out for the season. In addition, Recker has a bone spur and starting pitcher Matt Harvey is receiving treatment for a sprained left ankle.

Rohlfing should fit right in. Opening the year on the Minor Leagues' 7-day disabled list, he had yet to appear in a game at the time of the trade.