Mets put Smith on IL, Marte on bereavement list
NEW YORK — The banged-up New York Mets are minus two more important players after putting reliever Drew Smith on the 15-day injured list and right fielder Starling Marte on the bereavement list Saturday.
The team recalled infielder Mark Vientos and right-hander Dedniel Núñez from Triple-A Syracuse before the middle game of its weekend series against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Marte went home to the Dominican Republic for family reasons. He is expected to miss three days, manager Carlos Mendoza said. Smith will be out longer after an MRI showed inflammation in his pitching shoulder.
The right-hander was placed on the IL retroactive to Wednesday, and the Mets hope he can return as soon as he’s eligible.
“We don’t think it’s anything serious,” Mendoza said.
Smith is 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA and one save in 10 appearances this season. After making his debut in 2018, he is the longest-tenured pitcher on the Mets.
Marte is batting .288 with four homers, 12 RBI, six stolen bases and 16 runs. The club’s No. 2 hitter reached 1,500 career hits Friday night.
DJ Stewart started in right field Saturday, batting fifth.
New York also has placed starting catcher Francisco Alvarez (left thumb surgery), key reliever Brooks Raley (left elbow inflammation) and pitcher Tylor Megill (strained right shoulder) on the injured list since the season began.
No. 1 starter Kodai Senga won’t make his 2024 debut until May 27 or later because of a capsule strain in his right shoulder, and left-hander David Peterson is working his way back from offseason surgery for a torn labrum in his left hip.
With their starters struggling to get deep into games, the Mets have taxed their bullpen. Half of the eight relievers who broke camp with the team in late March have already been replaced due to injury or a roster crunch when fresh arms were needed.
Throughout spring training, Vientos appeared in line for regular big league at-bats at designated hitter and perhaps third base before New York signed veteran slugger J.D. Martinez to a $12 million, one-year contract on March 23. The 24-year-old Vientos was disappointed by his surprise demotion to the minors two days later, but he was batting .302 with five homers, 22 RBI and a .923 OPS in 23 games at Syracuse before getting called up.
“He’s performing. He earned it,” Mendoza said. “My message to him is, be ready for your opportunity.”
Vientos made his major league debut in 2022. He batted .211 with nine homers, 22 RBI and a .620 OPS in 65 games for the Mets last year.
“Whatever they want me to do, I’m here for it,” he said.
TORONTO — Cleveland Guardians star Jose Ramirez was back in the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, two days after the third baseman left in the third inning because of a mild right ankle sprain.
The six-time All-Star was injured when he stumbled and fell while crossing first base on an infield single. Ramirez went down after being struck in the back by a throw from Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt.
Ramirez was batting third Sunday against right-hander Bowden Francis.
Ramírez sat out Saturday when Cleveland beat Toronto 5-3. He went 2 for 2 before departing Friday, boosting his average to .274. He has five home runs and 15 RBIs in 31 games.
In last Thursday’s 4-3 victory over Minnesota, Ramirez became the first primary third baseman to reach 250 homers and 250 stolen bases.
The Miami Marlins activated catcher Nick Fortes from the 10-day injured list Sunday morning. To make room for him on the active roster, starting second baseman Otto Lopez was placed on the 10-day injured list.
Fortes, the Marlins’ Opening Day catcher, posted six hits in 20 at-bats with two doubles, one triple and one RBI in seven appearances before going on the IL on April 10 with an injured left oblique muscle. The 28-year-old missed 20 games as the Marlins went 7-13 without him. To prepare for Sunday’s return, he rehabbed for two games at Triple-A Jacksonville and went 0-for-6.
Fortes figures to split time with 23-year-old rookie catcher Agustin Ramirez, who has delivered a .256/.293/.615 slash line with three homers and five RBIs in 10 games during his first stint in the bigs.
The 26-year-old Lopez hits the injured list, retroactive to Saturday, with a sprained right ankle. Lopez started the season hot with a .400 average to go with two homers, six RBIs and one stolen base during five games in March. Since then, he has batted .191 (17-for-89) with no homers, five RBIs and two steals.
Rookie Javier Sanoja, 22, has filled Lopez’s spot at second base the last two games and provided two doubles, two runs and one RBI in seven at-bats.
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