Mets' Tommy Pham avoids IL after another scare; Mark Vientos returns
Tommy Pham of the Mets runs off the field with a trainer before the start of the fourth inning against the White Sox at Citi Field on Thursday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
BOSTON — A second MRI in as many weeks on Tommy Pham’s right groin was “good,” manager Buck Showalter said, so for now, the outfielder will avoid the injured list again.
He was out of the lineup Friday night as the Mets opened a series against the Red Sox. Showalter didn’t want to commit to when Pham will return, noting that the team wants to be careful with one of its best hitters (and one of its trade chips ahead of the Aug. 1 trade deadline).
“Hopefully we got ahead of it a little bit,” Showalter said.
That is the same sentiment Showalter expressed when Pham’s groin first bothered him on July 9 in San Diego. With the All-Star break and the Mets’ conservative approach, Pham started just one game in the next eight days.
On Thursday, while playing a third game in a row, Pham came up lame on a double-play ground ball and exited immediately.
Upon initially getting hurt, Pham said the discomfort was reminiscent of his 2018 right groin injury. For the rest of that year, he never went on the IL, but the issue persisted and periodically forced him to miss games.
“He’s very forthright and honest about what he’s [feeling],” Showalter said.
Vientos returns
Mark Vientos rejoined the Mets, filling the roster spot vacated by Starling Marte, who went on the IL because of migraines on Thursday.
Showalter dodged a question about how he plans to use Vientos, a power-hitting prospect with strong Triple-A numbers who hasn’t succeeded in limited time in the majors.
“He was our best option down there, so we brought him up,” Showalter said. “I’m going to take it day-to-day with that. Obviously, we’re trying to compete every night, and if we feel like there’s a good spot for him, we’ll do it . . . If he can help us win that night, we’ll use him.”
Vientos said of being a part-time player: “It’s difficult, yeah, but I feel like it’s just the situation I’m in. Now it’s: How am I going to deal with the situation? That’s going to show who I am as a person, and I feel like I’m confident in whatever is thrown at me and I’m ready for it.”
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.
