While the Mets could very well be looking for upgrades in the bullpen and at the catcher’s spot in the next week, manager Buck Showalter provided a pair of promising updates on right-hander Trevor May and backstop James McCann.
May is scheduled to throw on Wednesday during the same game as Jacob deGrom for the team’s Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse. The next step would be to take a couple of days off and throw back-to-back outings on Saturday and Sunday. If all goes well, he could be back by Tuesday.
“That’s the last hurdle he’ll have to cross,” Showalter said.
The 32-year-old was shut down on May 4 after it was discovered that he suffered a stress reaction on the lower portion of his humerus — an issue that had been nagging him for weeks before getting it looked at.
During his absence, the Mets have struggled to find a consistent eight-inning man to act as a bridge to All-Star closer Edwin Diaz. The combination of Seth Lugo, Joely Rodriguez, and Drew Smith has failed to adopt that role during May’s absence.
Regardless of when he returns, the Mets are tabbed to bring on at least one reliever before MLB’s trade deadline. Among names that are being mentioned in potential talks is Chicago Cubs veteran David Robertson.
McCann, who spent a portion of his career playing on the other side of Chicago, is scheduled to go out for a rehab assignment on Thursday as he continues to work his way back from a strained oblique.
Of course, it’s contingent on “if he continues down the path that he’s on,” Showalter began. “He’s doing well.”
It’s been an injury-riddled season for McCann, who needed wrist surgery that sidelined him for six weeks between May 10 and June 25. His return lasted just nine days before injuring his side on a swipe tag during a game against the Miami Marlins on July 9.
