Juan Lagares, Lucas Duda Returning To Mets
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Mets outfielder Juan Lagares was activated Friday from the disabled list after missing the past several weeks with a thumb injury.
Manager Terry Collins also said Lucas Duda, who has been on the DL since May with a stress fracture in his lower back, is expected to return this weekend, possibly Saturday.
Lagares was placed on the disabled list July 29 and underwent surgery days later to repair a partially torn ligament in his left thumb that he initially tried to play through.
Collins said Friday that Lagares is not yet back to 100 percent and will at first mostly serve as a defensive replacement, MLB.com reported. Lagares won a Gold Glove in 2014.
He is batting .243 this season with three home runs, eights RBIs and 13 runs scored.
Duda was hitting .231 with seven home runs and 19 RBIs when he exited the lineup. Collins told reporters he plans to primarily use Duda as a pinch-hitter. James Loney, who is hitting .261 with seven homers, has been starting in Duda's place.
The Mets, who are currently positioned to earn the National League's second wild-card spot, open a three-game series at home against the Minnesota Twins on Friday night.