Mets to allow full capacity at Citi Field beginning Monday
Fans cheer a strikeout during a game between the Mets and the San Diego Padres at Citi Field on Friday, June 11, 2021. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The doors finally will be fully open at Citi Field.
The Mets announced Wednesday that beginning with their single-admission doubleheader with the Braves Monday, Citi Field will be allowed to open at full capacity.
Social distancing and mask requirements will be eased, though the team still is asking that unvaccinated individuals wear masks. Proof of a negative COVID test or vaccination will no longer be required to attend a game. The team will also phase out the use of vaccinated/unvaccinated seating sections.
Betances rocked in rehab start
Dellin Betances was shelled during his rehab assignment in Low-A Port St. Lucie Wednesday, though Luis Rojas said the team wasn’t overly concerned with results, as long as his mechanics were sound.
Betances, who’s been out since April 7 with a right shoulder impingement, saw significant drops in his velocity before being sent to the injured list, leading to questions about his future with the team. Wednesday, in his second rehab outing, he allowed five runs and three hits, with two walks and no strikeouts. He recorded just a single out. His previous outing was more successful: a June 13 appearance in which he pitched a scoreless inning, striking out two and walking one. There’s no timetable for his return.
"I’m aware he didn’t finish the inning," Rojas said. "I’m aware he recorded one out but we’re not looking at the performance part of giving up runs or not being able to finish an inning right now…We want to see if his arm was in the correct slot, if he was consistently hitting the release point that we want and, obviously, how he feels after the outing. So I think all those are good, where we want him and that’s it. We’re looking forward to his next outing."
Pitcher shuffle
Rojas said he still hasn’t committed to a rotation in the coming days, other than Marcus Stroman starting Thursday against the Cubs. The Mets begin a four-game series in Washington Friday with a doubleheader on Saturday. Rojas said it was possible the Mets will opt to go with an opener – someone like Sean Reid-Foley or Robert Gsellman – to help ease the burden. That decision, though, will be dependent on the team’s bullpen usage leading up to the games. David Peterson is slated to start Sunday, and Jacob deGrom will take the hill Monday.
Conforto getting closer
Michael Conforto (hamstring) began his rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse Wednesday and was expected to play about five innings, Rojas said. The manager added that Conforto was healing "a lot sooner than we expected" and could be back as soon as next week . . . Carlos Carrasco (hamstring) has restarted his throwing program after being shut down a week for a PRP injection. The Mets hope to have him back by late July.
Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.
