Mets star Dominic Smith was a late scratch before Wednesday’s spring-training game against the Miami Marlins for what manager Luis Rojas described as “general soreness” in his right wrist — something he picked up during Tuesday’s game against the Houston Astros that featured him running into the left-field wall while trying to rob a Jeremy Pena home run.
The 25-year-old is considered day-to-day.
“We just gave him the day off from hitting,” Rojas added. “He did some defensive work so he’s getting treatment.”
The Mets’ best chance of getting Smith’s bat — which was a top-10 threat in the National League last season — into the everyday starting lineup is by starting him in left field, but defensive questions continue to remain; especially after he was unable to make a better play on Pena’s home run that bounced off the top of the wall and over the fence.
Smith is wearing what Rojas describes as a “blue wristband” to limit the range of motion of the area.
His appearances in left field this spring have been limited, which doesn’t instill much confidence that he’s been able to improve much defensively considering his lack of in-game action. But Rojas remains adamant that Smith is continuing to work in that area.
“I know he’s not doing it in-game without the adrenaline rush of playing another uniform, Rojas said. “But today, he had a really good session with [outfielding coach] Tony Tarasco where he was standing right behind him and they were challenging each other on who gets the better read.
“There’s a lot of good stuff where teaching happens… He did some of that work today where he got to work on his route efficiency and picking it up on the bat. It was a productive day for him.”
Lugo not throwing
Rojas added that reliever Seth Lugo has yet to begin throwing as he continues his six-week program after undergoing surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow back in February.
“He’s progressing very well with treatment in terms of his range of motion,” Rojas said.
It was always a given that he would be missing the first few weeks of the season, but it was always the plan that Lugo would not be throwing for at least six weeks after his surgery.
The 31-year-old right-hander has been one of the Mets’ most versatile arms over the last few seasons — though he’s most valuable as a reliever.
“It feels normal now, just easing into rehab stuff. It feels really good,” Lugo said back on March 4. “Right now we’re on track. It’s been going well. A little more than two weeks in. Working out, doing my shoulder program, working legs on the bike… Everything’s going well right now.”
