Mets place J.D. Davis on 10-day IL, select Jose Peraza

The Mets have placed infielder J.D. Davis on the 10-day injured list due to a left hand contusion, the team announced. Davis’ placement is retroactive to April 7. In corresponding moves, infielder Jose Peraza’s contract was selected from the alternate training site, and right-hander Franklyn Kilome was designated for assignment to open up a 40-man roster spot for Peraza.

Davis was hit on the hand by a Chase Anderson fastball during Tuesday’s game and hasn’t since been back on the field. X-rays on both Davis’ hand and left wrist were negative, and it doesn’t sound as if Davis will miss much if any time beyond the minimum stay on the injured list.

Luis Guillorme and Jonathan Villar have filled in at third base in Davis’ absence, and Peraza might also join this mix. Signed to a minor league deal back in November, Peraza saw pretty close to everyday duty for the Reds as a second baseman, shortstop, and eventually as a super-utility option in 2017-19, but Cincinnati non-tendered the infielder due to a lack of hitting. The problems at the plate continued for Peraza with the Red Sox last season, as he batted just .225/.275/.342 over 120 PA in 2020.

Peraza drew some top-100 prospect attention prior to the 2015 and 2016 seasons, and Kilome also isn’t far moved from his days as a highly-touted minor leaguer in the Phillies’ system — Baseball Prospectus included the righty on their top-100 lists every year from 2016-18. He was acquired by the Mets in the Asdrubal Cabrera trade in July 2018, and Kilome then had to undergo Tommy John surgery just a few months later that wiped out his 2019 campaign.

Kilome did make his MLB debut last season, but he was hit hard in every appearance and posted an 11.12 ERA over 11 1/3 innings.  It isn’t out of the question that another team could claim Kilome off the DFA wire, given his past prospect pedigree, but that seems to be a risk the Mets are willing to take on the 25-year-old.