Mets Notes: Injury updates on A.J. Minter, Jorge Polanco; Carlos Mendoza remembers John Sterling

(Jim Rassol - Imagn Images)

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Mets Notes: Injury updates on A.J. Minter, Jorge Polanco; Carlos Mendoza remembers John Sterling

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Mets Notes: Injury updates on A.J. Minter, Jorge Polanco; Carlos Mendoza remembers John Sterling

2 / 2

Mets Notes: Injury updates on A.J. Minter, Jorge Polanco; Carlos Mendoza remembers John Sterling

(Jim Rassol - Imagn Images)

With the Mets set to begin another three-game series with the Rockies in Colorado on Monday, looking for revenge after they were swept by them at Citi Field at the end of April, manager Carlos Mendoza spoke to the media before the series opener and gave updates on a couple of injured players, plus shared some words about the passing of long-time Yankees broadcaster John Sterling*.*

Mets on the mend

New York is getting some reinforcements to the big league club soon with reliever A.J. Minter and infielder Jorge Polanco progressing with their injuries.

Closer to a return is Minter who pitched a scoreless inning for Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday. The plan now is for the left-hander to pitch in back-to-back games for the first time during his rehab starting on Wednesday, per Mendoza. If he feels good, Minter will be back on the mound on Thursday to check off the final stage of his recovery process.

"Right now he’s gonna pitch again on Wednesday," Mendoza said. "So Wednesday and hopefully he goes back-to-back – maybe shorter, maybe a hitter or two the following day, but just trying to get him in the back-to-back, the routine, getting in the bullpen, warmup, and then getting in the game."

If all goes well for Minter, who has been on the IL since April of last season recovering from a lat strain that required surgery, he should be activated at some point during the weekend, although Mendoza couldn't commit to a specific day.

"If he goes back-to-back he’ll probably need a couple of days so we’ll see," the skipper said.

As for Polanco, the veteran was back doing baseball activity on Monday and is ramping back up after dealing with a right wrist contusion alongside ongoing bursitis in his left Achilles that has had him sidelined since April 15.

"He ran, he’s gonna take BP, he’s gonna do defense and we’ll see how he responds after another heavy day today, tomorrow and see what happens," Mendoza said.

Before landing on the IL, Polanco was hitting .179 with a home run and two RBI after signing a two-year, $40 million contract to be the Mets' first baseman. Due to the nagging bursitis in his Achilles, though, Polanco had been DHing most of the time before going on the IL.

It remains to be seen how New York will use Polanco once he returns with Mark Vientos assuming the everyday first baseman position in Polanco's absence.

Mendoza remembers John Sterling

With the news of Sterling's death on Monday, Mendoza, who was a coach for the Yankees from 2018 to 2023 before he was hired by the Mets, offered his condolences to Sterling's family and friends and remembered his time with the iconic broadcaster.

"I want to start by sending our thoughts and prayers to John Sterling’s family and friends. Obviously we lost a big one today," he said. "We are all in this baseball community and he was a part of what we do on a daily basis on and off the field."

Asked how well he got to know Sterling during his time in the Bronx, Mendoza said "very well".

"I still remember getting texts from him as recently as a few months ago," he said. "When I got the job here, he was one of the first phone calls that I received. I created a very good relationship with him and he will be missed."