Edwin Diaz continues to play catch during his recovery from the torn right patellar tendon he suffered throughout the World Baseball Classic.
Mets manager Buck Showalter declined to debate specifics about Diaz’s rehab, but he did say on Saturday that the club’s injured closer “is doing numerous things he wasn’t doing” earlier in his recovery.
Diaz has said he wants to return back this season following the injury, which he suffered during a celebration following a Team Puerto Rico vicctory on the WBC.
With the Mets up to now out of the playoff picture, nonetheless, it’s fair to wonder if it matters if the right-hander returns this season.
Showalter said, prior to the Mets’ game Saturday night against the Dodgers at Citi Field, that the team’s place within the standings wouldn’t impact Diaz’s schedule.
“When the medical people say he’s ready for the subsequent step, he’ll take it,’’ Showalter said. “We’re not gonna push it forward or pull it back.”
Showalter added that there was no conversation yet about Diaz’s potential return to the mound.
The bullpen got one other arm when David Peterson was moved there as a consequence of the addition of Jose Quintana to the rotation.
Peterson pitched well in his second stint within the Mets’ rotation and allowed a run in his first appearance out of the bullpen Friday in a loss to the Dodgers.
“You have got to have a unique mindset with the right way to attack guys [as a reliever],’’ Peterson said.
The lefty’s time within the pen won’t last long.
The organization desires to keep him stretched out as a starter in case he’s needed back within the rotation.
There could possibly be other arms for the pen at Triple-A Syracuse or getting back from rehab. Showalter said Sam Coonrod has progressed in his comeback from a lat strain and now could be throwing bullpen sessions.
“He had a extremely good spring for us and doubtless would have made the club,’’ Showalter said of the 30-year-old who appeared within the majors with the Giants and Phillies over the previous 4 seasons.
Showalter also said Sean Reid-Foley, who pitched 19 games with the Mets the past two seasons, has shown positive signs at Syracuse, where he has pitched well in two of his three appearances.
Starling Marte was initially within the lineup Saturday, but he was scratched as a consequence of an illness.
DJ Stewart, who was originally playing left field, switched to right and Luis Guillorme was inserted at second base, with Jeff McNeil moving to left.
The Baby Mets the team had hoped would spark the offense have struggled of late.
Brett Baty entered Saturday in a protracted slump, with a .600 OPS over his previous 53 games.
He had a .938 OPS on May 1. Francisco Alvarez was in a 1-for-10 funk with five strikeouts, but that got here after three straight multi-hit games.
Mark Vientos stays at Triple-A, where he’s hitting well.
And Ronny Mauricio, who had been within the conversation to potentially make his MLB debut earlier within the season, has yet to be called up, but like Vientos, continues to supply within the minors.
The Mets signed a pair of third-round draft picks, in keeping with MLB.com, with two-way player Nolan McLean, the 91st overall pick and right-hander Kade Morris, No. 101, each signing.