As Robinson Canó had hoped, the Mets activated him off the injured list Friday on the first day he was eligible. Canó was in the Mets’ starting lineup against the Phillies, batting fifth as the designated hitter.
Sidelined since Aug. 3 due to a Grade 2 adductor strain, Canó recovered quickly from the issue. The Mets were eager to get him back, considering he was their leading hitter with a .412 batting average at the time of his injury. But the team performed fine in his absence thanks to rookie Andrés Giménez, who entered Friday’s play hitting .286 with two triples and a Major League-leading five stolen bases.
Now that Canó is back in the fold, Giménez can still receive playing time at third base (where he started on Friday), as well as second and shortstop. Starting shortstop Amed Rosario also returned to the lineup on Friday following a three-game absence due to a stomach bug, but the Mets intend to keep using Giménez as much as possible for as long as he is playing well.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].