Broken hand won't change way Mets' Travis Jankowski plays game
Mets' Travis Jankowski runs to first base as Dominic Smith scores after Jankowski grounds into a forceout during the second inning in the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals, Tuesday, May 17, 2022, in New York. Credit: AP/Frank Franklin II
Travis Jankowski’s latest stats: two screws, zero regrets.
Out for six to eight weeks after having surgery on his broken left hand, Jankowski said Monday that he was “pretty surprised” and “pretty frustrated” to learn about his injury, particularly considering he had carved out a role as manager Buck Showalter’s trusty, speedy, defensively adept fourth outfielder.
But he would not alter his approach, he said, to the play on which it happened: a diving catch to rob Joey Bart of a hit in the bottom of the eighth inning last Wednesday in San Francisco. His glove/left hand bent back awkwardly, hyperextending a finger and — it turned out — breaking a bone. He had surgery Friday and will get X-rays in less than three weeks to check on the healing.
“It’s one of those things that over the past two days, sitting on the couch, thinking about how it happened — it was a 9-3 game. Was it worth a dive? Was it worth missing potentially eight weeks?” he said Monday, his first public comments since getting hurt. “You come to the realization that I play hard no matter what. It doesn’t matter if it’s 9-3, 10-2 or 4-4. If that’s a play I know I can make, I’m going to go make it.
“You don’t pick and choose when you can play hard. You just go out and play the game. Unfortunately, bad things can happen. And that’s what happened. Hopefully less than eight weeks, but I’ll be back out there making some diving catches.”
Nimmo close
Brandon Nimmo (right wrist sprain) was out of the lineup for a third game in a row Monday. Showalter said he expects him back Tuesday.
“It’s kind of nice because we’ve won the last three games,” Nimmo said. “There’s less pressure to be out there.”
Reliever Smith fortunate
Drew Smith (dislocated right pinkie finger) said he won’t go on the injured list “as of right now” and could be available to pitch as soon as Tuesday.
The CT scan on his hand came back fine, so other than some bruising, he got off easy after trying to barehand a comebacker Sunday.
“It could’ve been a lot worse,” he said. “I’m thankful that it’s just a dislocation and not a break.”
Megill progressing
Tylor Megill (right biceps tendinitis) said he hopes to face hitters in a live batting practice session. He’ll need at least one minor-league rehab start before returning.
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.
