The New York Mets will take the field Thursday night without Bo Bichette in the starting lineup for the finale of their three-game set against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citi Field.
The Mets dropped an 8-1 decision Wednesday, allowing the Brewers to even the series. Bichette finished 0-for-1 with a walk before exiting with a left foot contusion.
He fouled a pitch off his foot in the third inning and came out of the game in the top of the fifth. Cristopher Morel took over for him on defense at that point.
Thursday’s Mets lineup lists A. Ewing in center field, F. Lindor at shortstop, C. Benge in right field, L. Robert Jr. in left field, J. Young at first base, M. Semien at second base, B. Baty at third base, C. Morel as the designated hitter and F. Alvarez behind the plate. Sean Manaea will start on the mound.
Bichette’s absence follows the injury he suffered a night earlier. Morel slides into the DH spot while Brett Baty handles third base.
Regarding Bichette’s injury, RotoWire wrote: “Bichette fouled a ball off his foot during the third inning and was eventually replaced on defense in the fifth. The fact that the Mets are labeling his injury as a bruise suggests he avoided severe damage, though he could receive a day or two off as a precaution.”
The club is treating the issue as a bruise, which points to a day or two of rest rather than anything more serious. The hope around the team is that sitting him Thursday is simply a precaution.
In his first year with the Mets, the two-time All-Star is hitting .264 with 138 hits, 21 doubles, 14 home runs, 64 runs, 66 RBIs and one stolen base across 132 games.
Bichette signed a three-year, $126 million deal with New York before the season began. The Mets have leaned on him as a middle-of-the-order presence since he arrived.
After Wednesday’s loss the Mets sit at 60-73. They have gone 6-4 over their last 10 games as they try to stay relevant in the final stretch.
Left-hander Sean Manaea makes his 14th start of the year. He carries a 4.31 ERA over 117 innings and has given up four runs in each of his last two outings. He has lasted at least six innings in six straight games.
The Brewers posted their own lineup for Thursday: J. Chourio in left, L. Lara in center, W. Contreras as DH, A. Vaughn at first, G. Sánchez catching, J. Ortiz at third, S. Frelick in right, C. Pratt at short and D. Hamilton at second. Jacob Misiorowski gets the ball.
Milwaukee owns the best record in baseball at 82-51. Misiorowski leads all starting pitchers in ERA heading into the matchup.
The Mets will look to even the series and send their fans home with a win even as they manage Bichette’s foot. How quickly he returns will be watched closely over the coming days.
