Jeff McNeil Update Emerges After Removal From Mets Lineup

Jeff McNeil Absent From Mets Lineup

Ahead of Thursday’s series finale against the Washington Nationals, McNeil was unexpectedly removed from the starting lineup. It was especially surprising given the starting pitcher for the Nationals, MacKenzie Gore, has been terrorized by McNeil—who’s collected eight hits in 12 at-bats against him.

An update emerged pregame that McNeil had been dealing with right shoulder soreness affecting his throwing and leading to a day off, via MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, “Jeff McNeil is dealing with some right shoulder soreness, which bothers him mostly when he's throwing. That's why he's getting a day off today.”

McNeil’s Hot Streak Interrupted as Mets Fight to Stay in Wild Card Race

This comes at a troubling time for both New York and McNeil, who’s in the midst of another quality season at the plate while offering positional versatility. McNeil has batted .259 with a .795 OPS, ten home runs, and 40 RBIs over 90 games this year.

He already missed time at the beginning of the season due to a low-grade oblique strain, and the Mets will hope that a day off is all he needs to recover without hindering his abilities moving forward.

The Mets entered the season with World Series title aspirations after exceeding $900 million on free agent signings alone, and they are in danger of slipping out of playoff contention—making every game critical down the stretch.