Mets Won’t Rush Reyes Back
Added on Jul 05, 2011 by Scott in
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The left hamstring injury suffered by Mets All-Star shortstop Jose Reyes on Saturday was diagnosed as a Grade 1 strain, which in medical terms isn’t considered severe. However, with Reyes’ history of leg problems looming large, the Mets will proceed with caution and not rush him back into the lineup.
The 28-year-old is enjoying his best season to date. He leads the majors in batting with a .354 average. He’s swiped 30 bases in 80 starts, which already matches the number he had in 2010 when he played in 133 games. A career .291 hitter, Reyes is scheduled to start next Tuesday’s All-Star game after winning the fan voting for NL shortstops. Injuries prevented him from participating in two of his three previous All-Star contests.
The last time Reyes dealt with a hamstring injury was 2009. A partial tear wasn’t allowed to sufficiently heal and led to a full tear and a torn hamstring muscle. He would go on to miss 126 games. Reyes is conscious of what happened two years ago and knows the best course of action is patience.
“I don’t want to get on the field too soon, because I know what happened in 2009 when I tried to get on the field too soon,” Reyes said. “Everybody knows what happened. … I have to make sure my leg is ready because I don’t want to go through what I’ve been through in ’09. I learned from that.”
For now, Reyes won’t be placed on the disabled list. He’ll rest for a couple more days before testing the hamstring. With the All-Star break just around the corner, manager Terry Collins would like to get Reyes back by the end of the week, but is willing to play with a shortened roster if necessary.
The Mets have ground to make up in the National League Wild Card race. At 43-42, they are staring up at both Philadelphia and Atlanta in the East, and battling seven other teams for a playoff spot.
Source: ESPN.com
