Mets' Danny Mendick returns to majors about a year after significant injury
New York Mets infielder Danny Mendick poses for a portrait during New York Mets Photo Day at Clover Park, Thursday Feb. 23, 2023 in Port St. Lucie, FL. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
PHILADELPHIA — One year and two days after suffering a gruesome leg injury, Danny Mendick made it back to the majors on Saturday, called up by the Mets to replace the traded Eduardo Escobar.
Mendick actually drew a start from manager Buck Showalter, too, playing over Brett Baty at third base against the Phillies. Mendick went hitless in three at-bats in the Mets’ 4-2 victory.
Thursday was the one-year anniversary of the day he suffered a torn ACL and fractured fibula in his right knee/leg while trying to catch a fly ball with the White Sox, abruptly ending what had been a good season. Mendick batted .289 with a .443 slugging percentage and a .786 OPS in 31 games before the injury.
“I learned a lot about myself. I got to go through some character building. You get to find out what’s it’s like — it’s the first time for me that I’ve ever been hurt,” Mendick said. “It got me a lot more mentally tough. It makes it more exciting when you get back into it. To get back here, to try to contribute to this team and get everything going back on track, it’s exciting.”
Promoting Mendick when they had a major-league infield need was why the Mets signed him to a one-year, $1 million major-league contract in December.
With the Mets, Mendick, 29, figures to serve a super-utility role, having played at every position but pitcher and catcher with Triple-A Syracuse this year. He had not been hitting much — posting a .264/.357/.401 slash line — but was having a hot June. In 17 games in the minors this month, he batted .292 with a .542 slugging percentage and a .920 OPS.
Mendick said he feels “phenomenal.” Showalter added that it probably took him a while after he got back on the field to truly recover from his injury.
“Sometimes it’s not as simple as having surgery, there’s the months of rehab and everything’s going to be just like it was,” Showalter said. “I think Danny went down there and mentally, emotionally got to a point where he felt like he was comfortable with it.”
Showalter also praised Mendick as “a baseball player,” among his highest compliments, who can bring a level of grit.
“At some point, you have to be productive as a player too,” Showalter said. “I think he knows that.”
McNeil missing
Jeff McNeil was out of the lineup Saturday with a sore left wrist, the result of getting his hand bent back while covering second base Friday night. That was the latest in a series of recent batterings, including fouling a pitch off his knee in Houston.
“He’s had a physically challenging last few days,” Showalter said. “Some of it is self-inflicted, too. It’s part of playing.”
Extra bases
The Phillies presented a National League championship ring to David Robertson, a member of their team in the second half last year, before the game . . . Showalter on feedback from owner Steve Cohen amid the Mets’ poor play: “Steve’s always been very supportive. Very smart guy. He follows it closely. Obviously, he’s got a lot of things going on, but the Mets have always been one of his big priorities. He communicates when he needs to, a lot of times through Billy [Eppler]. I’m really happy with the way that’s gone.” . . . Showalter caught up with Phillies broadcaster John Kruk, his former ESPN co-worker. He said of those days (and late nights): “You find out a lot about somebody in a Taco Bell drive-thru.”
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
