J.D. Davis’ left hand has improved, but not to the point at which he is ready to swing a bat for the Mets.
The third baseman was placed on the injured list Saturday before the Mets’ 3-0 loss to the Marlins, four days after he was drilled in the hand during a plate appearance in Philadelphia. Jose Peraza was promoted to the 26-man roster to take Davis’ spot.
Manager Luis Rojas said Davis received treatment on his bruised hand at Citi Field on the off-day Friday and that he was feeling better. But there were still concerns about Davis’ ability to grip the bat.
Jonathan Villar started at third base for a second straight game. Luis Guillorme also has started at third.
Davis’ 10-day IL stint is retroactive to Wednesday. To clear space on the 40-man roster for Peraza, pitcher Franklyn Kilome was designated for assignment by the Mets.
Davis became the second IL casualty for the Mets in recent days. On Thursday, the Mets placed Dellin Betances on the IL with a right shoulder impingement.
Mets players and staff received their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine following Thursday’s game, but acting general manager Zack Scott said the team fell short of the 85 percent participation threshold needed for the relaxation of safety protocols.
“We’re not there yet, but we got a lot of participation,” Scott said. “A lot of guys did go and get the vaccine, so we’re in a good spot. We didn’t expect to get there on Day 1 of trying to do this, so we’re on our way toward that goal.
“That’s not so much the focus. The focus is just the health and safety of players and people around them, not so much this magic number of 85 percent, but I think we’re definitely moving in the right direction.”
Rojas still has not finalized starting rotation plans for Tuesday. It’s possible Joey Lucchesi or an opener will start against the Phillies. Marcus Stroman and David Peterson are scheduled to start the two subsequent games. Lucchesi’s availability for Tuesday could be impacted if he’s needed to pitch from the bullpen beforehand.
Noah Syndergaard was scheduled to face batters in Port St. Lucie, according to Scott. The right-hander, who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, remains on track for a mid-June return, but that timeline could be moved up or pushed back as needed. The earliest Syndergaard, who was placed on the 60-day IL to start the season, could return is May 31.