Carlos Mendoza says that Luis Robert Jr. hasn’t started baseball activities
Robert Jr. went on the IL on April 30 with lumbar spine disc herniation
The Mets will turn to one of their top prospects to inject life into a lineup that ranks last in wRC+ in 2026.
The New York Mets are in dire need of a spark. New York is off to their worst start in 33 years, with a 15-25 record after losing their weekend series to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Despite carrying the highest 40-man payroll and second-highest luxury tax payroll in 2026, per Cot’s Contracts, they own the worst record in baseball.
To try to inject some life into a lineup that ranks dead last in wRC+ (81), the Mets are promoting their top prospect. Will Sammon of The Athletic reports that outfielder A.J. Ewing will join the team in New York. The Mets start a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers at Citi Field on May 12.
Ewing becomes the second Mets outfield prospect to debut this season. Carson Benge, who began the season as the club’s top prospect, made the club out of Spring Training.
The Mets traded for Luis Robert Jr. to be their everyday center fielder. However, Robert suffered a herniated disk in his lumbar spine and has been on the injured list since April 30. The outfielder received an epidural in his back and would be re-evaluated in seven to 10 days.
“[The doctors] are telling us it should be a short stint on the IL. … We have to wait and see how he responds to the epidural,” Mendoza told Bill Ladson and Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.
On May 10, 10 days after the initial injured list placement, there has been no progress on the Mets center fielder. Mendoza said there’s nothing new, and Robert is still receiving treatment. They will re-evaluate him when the club gets back to New York.
Carlos Mendoza says that Luis Robert Jr. hasn’t started baseball activities
Robert Jr. went on the IL on April 30 with lumbar spine disc herniation
The fact that the club is promoting Ewing after returning to New York suggests that this will be a longer-term injury.
According to The Cleveland Clinic, a herniated disk can take four to six weeks to heal. That would conservatively put Robert’s return closer to June at the earliest. Ewing’s promotion seems to be more indicative of that scenario for the Mets.
Since Robert was placed on the injured list, New York has utilized Tyrone Taylor and Benge in center field. Neither outfielder has produced much at the plate this season, with Taylor and Benge sporting an OPS of .510 and .603 respectively.
In the Mets’ last 10 games, they’ve gotten a collective .219/.286/.406 slash line from their center fielders. Statcast’s expected metrics, which factor in batted ball data, doesn’t offer much relief. Mets center fielders have a .184 expected batting average, .323 xSLG, and a .256 xwOBA.
With a clear hole in their lineup, Ewing should have the opportunity to take over the center field role while Robert continues his rehab. That would allow for the Mets to play Benge in right field and Juan Soto in left. Taylor would revert to a fourth outfielder, as a right-handed complement to Ewing and Benge, who are both left-handed.
The Mets will have to make space on both their active and 40-man roster to fit Ewing. Utility man Ronny Mauricio, who suffered a fractured thumb on May 2, is a candidate to be transferred to the 60-day injured list. As for the active roster move, the club can option outfielder M.J. Melendez to Triple-A Syracuse.
Michael McDermott Michael McDermott is a writer at Heavy Sports covering the Arizona Diamondbacks and Major League Baseball. Michael has 10 years experience writing about the D-backs and their farm system for AZ Snake Pit, Burn City Sports, and Diamondbacks On SI. More about Michael McDermott
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