Mets Injury Updates: Turner Hits in Spring Game, Tejada to Re-start Running Program

While watching the Mets blow out the Tampa Bay Rays 11-2 last night on SNY, Gary Cohen was able to give fans some updates on New York’s walking wounded shortstops. Cohen was able to provide positive reports in the rehab of backups Justin Turner and Ronny Cedeno, but the news on Ruben Tejada still doesn’t look great.
Justin Turner began participating in some baseball activity yesterday down in Port St. Lucie as he attempts to rehab from the sprained right ankle he injured against the Phillies on Memorial Day. Although Turner did hit yesterday, he is yet to test his injury on the base
paths with any sort of running program. However, as of right now everything is going as scheduled, and the Mets are currently expecting Turner to return to the team by the end of the month.
As for Ronny Cedeno, he did some light running on the base paths himself yesterday, testing out that strained calf that has sidelined him for much longer than anyone else had expected. There has still been no news as to when he will appear in a minor league game, but depending on how his calf reacts today after running on the dirt yesterday, the organization may have a clearer picture as to what they would like to do.
There was also news on Ruben Tejada, and if you were expecting him to bounce back quickly from his latest setback, you will be upset. Since he pulled himself from a Triple-A rehab assignment, Tejada hasn’t done any running, but did begin some light jogging, and will attempt to ramp up his running program today. This has been the most frustrating injury of all, as the Mets thought that they would get their starting shortstop back in the lineup two weeks after he injured himself on May 7th. Hopefully, Tejada will be able to make strides to finally come back to the lineup, especially because Terry Collins feels that the New York offense needs him.
The Mets have been fortunate to have Omar Quintanilla step in and give the shortstop position some stability. Even though he made a crucial error on Derek Jeter‘s bouncing ball Sunday afternoon that opened the flood gates for the Yankees to steal a win, he has been very solid in the field, especially after Jordany Valdespin showed he’s not comfortable there. What has been more surprising is the offense that he’s been providing the bottom of the lineup. A career .221 hitter, Quintanilla has produced a .333/.447/.513 triple slash in his 13 games as a Met. While this is fantastic, Collins reiterated that Tejada is still missed because of his combination of solid defense and presence at the top of the order. Hopefully the 22-year-old will be able to come back before Quintanilla’s bat cools off at the MLB level.