Wilmer Flores might wind up on disabled list with sprained right ankle
Wilmer Flores hits an RBI fielder's choice to the shortstop in the fourth inning of a game against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field. (Aug. 8, 2013) Credit: Mike Stobe
Rookie Wilmer Flores may wind up on the disabled list if his sprained right ankle does not improve.
Mets manager Terry Collins held out hope Tuesday night that Flores might be able to pinch hit against the Dodgers, even though he wasn't available to start.
In Monday night's 4-2 loss to the Dodgers, Flores turned his right ankle in the second inning when his cleat slipped off the bag while rounding second base. Initially, Flores played through the injury, getting it taped between innings. He even made a sprawling play at third base and insisted he could move at full speed.
However, after the game, the 22-year-old walked with a pronounced limp.
"The fact that he was taped up might have kept it a little bit intact," Collins said. "But after the game he was very, very uncomfortable, and today he was even worse than last night."
After Monday night's game, Flores said he was "just sore," and expected to play. Instead, Justin Turner was in the starting lineup at third base Tuesday night in place of Flores, who is hitting .259 with a homer and nine RBIs in his first seven big-league games.
Back to basics
Jenrry Mejia joined other Mets pitchers Tuesday for early bunting practice. In Monday night's loss, the Mets squandered a potential rally partly because Mejia failed to advance the runners with a successful sacrifice.
Collins called it a mistake of youth. "The idea is to make sure they correct it and they don't do it again, because you can't do anything about what just happened," he said.
Mets pitchers as a whole have struggled while handling the bat. They have only 22 successful sacrifices this season, the third-lowest total in the National League.
