Mets injury news: Travis d’Arnaud is progressing

New York Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud, who has been on the disabled list since June 23 due to a hyperextended left elbow, is making progress while rehabbing in Port St. Lucie, Adam Rubin of ESPN reports.

Rubin notes that d’Arnaud entering minor league rehab games isn’t imminent, but that his participation in rehab games is getting closer.

D’Arnaud suffered the elbow injury during a play at the plate in Atlanta on June 20, was removed from the game early, and was placed on the disabled list early the next week.

Prior to him being placed on the disabled list, both d’Arnaud and manager Terry Collins said that he should be able to return to the lineup immediately. Instead, d’Arnaud underwent an MRI before being put in an elbow brace and DL’d.

The elbow injury is the second one d’Arnaud has suffered this year that forced him to the disabled list. In April, he was hit in the hand and suffered a broken pinky — an injury he returned from on June 10, only to land back on the disabled list 13 days later.

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Thoughts:

It’s been a maddening season for d’Arnaud, as both of the injuries he has suffered have been freakish in nature. Freakish or not, though, he has been on the disabled list far too often so far in his career, and that’s a cause for concern.

Still, getting d’Arnaud back should give a big boost to the offense, which struggled mightily in June and has started off July in the same fashion.

In d’Arnaud’s stead, Kevin Plawecki — who has been performing better as of late — is hitting .231/.280/.319 with two home runs and 15 RBI in 50 games played.

Prior to d’Arnaud’s brief return from the disabled list in June, the thought was that the Mets would send Plawecki down to Triple-A Las Vegas in order for him to play every day. However, the team instead optioned Anthony Recker to Las Vegas and employed a semi-platoon with Plawecki and d’Arnauad in order to ease d’Arnaud back in.

When d’Arnaud makes his next return from the disabled list, the odd man out will likely be Johnny Monell, who has been serving as Plawecki’s backup.