The New York Mets activated outfielder Jose Siri from the injured list on Tuesday.
The Mets removed Siri from the 60-day injured list Tuesday and immediately put him in the lineup. He is batting ninth and playing center field against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday evening.
Siri Is Dynamic on the Bases and in Field
The Mets acquired Siri in the offseason from the Tampa Bay Rays for reliever Eric Orze. Siri brings elite speed, range, and arm strength to center field. He also has some power. In his last two years with the Rays, Siri hit 43 home runs – fourth-most among primary centerfielders, per Fangraphs – and stole 26 bases.
He showed his elite speed in his first game with the Mets when he scored on a ground ball back to the pitcher. But he fouled a ball off his leg on April 12 against the Athletics, fracturing his left tibia in the process. Siri’s healing process was slow. He only began rehab games in late August.
“I spent a lot of time during my rehab assignment making sure that I feel 100%,” Siri said through a translator to SNY.
Siri offers the Mets a possible solution to their season-long woes in center field. Mets center fielders have a .601 OPS this year, which is only better than the St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Nationals and Cleveland Guardians. The Mets have used Jeff McNeil in center field. McNeil has performed well but isn’t a natural center fielder. New York acquired Cedric Mullins from the Baltimore Orioles at the trade deadline, but he’s struggled and lacks a good arm in the outfield.
Siri figures to get most of the playing time against lefties with right-handed center fielder Tyrone Taylor on the injured list. Philadelphia scheduled left-handed starters in each of the next three games of the series. That means Siri likely plays the rest of this four-game set against the Phillies.
Some Concerns
However, Siri isn’t without his warts. He chases and whiffs a lot, and doesn’t walk much. His career on-base percentage is well below .300. That limits his playing time, and has throughout his career. He’s only had over 400 plate appearances once in his career. And in his 20 at-bats this year, he’s struck out eight times.
In 10 games this season, he’s had one hit in 20 at-bats. But Siri has two stolen bases and five runs scored.
The Mets optioned utilityman Jared Young to Triple-A Syracuse and designated reliever Wander Suero for assignment to clear roster space.
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