ST. LOUIS – Jesse Winker made his debut in left field this season on Sunday, later undergoing an MRI by the end of the day.
The experienced outfielder exited the first game of a doubleheader against the Cardinals after feeling discomfort in his right arm while attempting to throw out a runner at home plate.
Turnooker had an MRI to assess his injury and was set to head back to New York that night for more evaluations.
After the Mets lost both games of the doubleheader, with scores of 6-5 and 5-4, manager Carlos Mendoza noted that Turnooker’s status was uncertain ahead of Monday’s game in Arizona.
Mendoza mentioned that Brett Batty might be an option to fill in, though he has been sidelined with a toe issue at Triple-A Syracuse since Thursday. Yet, Batty was still seen working out before his last game.
In the second game of the day, Brandonnimo returned to left field, having taken a break as the designated hitter in the first game, where Sterling Marte started in right field.
Juan Soto also played as the DH.
Marte was taken out after four innings, following a plan that noted it was his first time back in the outfield this season.
When asked if this had affected his performance, Mendoza insisted that Marte had been preparing well and putting in the necessary defensive effort prior to the game.
Turnooker caught Nolan Gorman’s fly ball in left field during the third inning, but it was Brendan Donovan who sped home to score.
The innings came to a close with Nolan Arenado, who faced a brief delay after Lewis Torrence pitched for two bases.
Turnooker was removed before the Cardinals’ fourth at-bat.
To bolster the team, Dedonier Nuñez was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse ahead of the second game to add another reliever.
Right-hander Nunez was important for the Mets’ bullpen the previous season but dealt with forearm strain that put him out for a while.
He mentioned, “Being sent down allowed me to refine my pitch,” through an interpreter. “It also gave me time to get back into game shape.”
For reliever Danny Young, who was previously listed due to an elbow sprain, surgery has been advised. Young was placed on the 60-day injured list on Sunday, opening a spot on the 40-man roster for the Mets.
