CINCINNATI — Nothing worked for Jeff McNeil in his first five games of the season, when he collected a hit, was relegated to seventh in the order, fought with Rhys Hoskins and been the face of a Mets offense in deep slump.
His teammates, however, did not write off the 2022 batting champion.
In fact, a teammate wrote encouraging words for McNeil, who might have come out of his funk.
On Friday afternoon, Brandon Nimmo engraved a message to McNeil on a bag of batting gloves: “Swing at good pitches and hit where they aren’t.” »
McNeil followed the technically sound advice and hit his first home run of the year, an eighth-inning shot deep into the right-field bleachers, for an insurance run that was ultimately needed.
“It felt good,” McNeil said after only his second hit of the season, helping the Mets to a 3-2 victory over the Reds at Great American Ball Park. “I didn’t swing the bat the way I wanted to, so being able to get that big hit meant a lot.”
McNeil entered batting 1-for-18 after a Grapefruit League season in which he was 0-for-13.
Nimmo. Mark W. Sanchez/New York Post
His spring was sidetracked by a sore bicep and his offseason was sidetracked by a partially torn UCL, an injury that could have contributed to his poor 2023, when he hit just .270.
Manager Carlos Mendoza recalled that McNeil won the batting title, hitting .326 in 2022, and that McNeil’s teammates tried to maintain his confidence.
“It was tough,” McNeil admitted. “It’s hard trying to stay positive when things aren’t going your way. So it’s good to have a team full of guys who support you. Hits will drop. »
Friday’s hit was dropped, McNeil managed to hit it where it wasn’t.
“There’s no one in the right stands,” he said, smiling.
The Mets have officially added an old foe to their rotation, but Julio Tehran might not be recognizable when he makes his starting debut on Monday.
Tehran, a weapon for the Braves from 2011-2019, had a 3.24 ERA in 30 starts against the Mets.
After a right shoulder injury cost him most of his 2021 season and led him to leave MLB for all of 2022, Tehran reinvented himself.
His old slider is now a cutter.
His double seam “for some reason it runs a little bit more,” he said. His change is new.
The 33-year-old pitched to a 3.38 ERA this spring with the Orioles, did not make the team and opted out of his minor league contract.
He continued to pitch in Miami, facing independent hitters such as Jean Segura and Yuli Gurriel — hitters who had seen him for years and hitters who told him he looked brand new.
“It has nothing to do with the situation where they faced me before,” Tehran said on Friday, when reporting to his new team. “New locations, everything is like new.”
The Mets have found their fifth starter, who should join the rotation starting Monday in Atlanta. Injuries to Kodai Senga and Tylor Megill created a need, and the Mets persisted in their interest in Tehran.
He said he had to choose between the Mets and Orioles for a team this spring, and he felt Baltimore presented more opportunities, but injuries changed that equation.
Because he continued to throw, Tehran should be able to throw 70 to 75 pitches Monday, Mendoza said.
For the third time in his career, he will face the Braves.
For the first time, he will pitch for a Mets club he once tormented.
“It feels weird,” Tehran said. “I didn’t realize I’m on this side now.”
J.D. Martinez, who had been batting in simulation games and live batting practice at the Mets’ facilities, officially joined Low-A St. Lucie and went 0 for 4 with a walk while serving as a designated hitter for the affiliate on Friday. .
Martinez will likely play again with St. Lucia on Saturday and will likely have a day off on Sunday, Mendoza said.
The team and its slugger are expected to talk this weekend about when he feels ready to join the big league Mets.
“The last thing you want is to rush this guy,” Mendoza said.
Nimmo was out of the lineup after feeling a strain in his right hamstring while running on base in the first inning of Game 2 of Thursday’s doubleheader.
Nimmo was able to finish the play as he served as the DH. Mendoza said Nimmo arrived “feeling a lot better” Friday and might be able to return to the lineup Saturday.
The Mets did not send Nimmo for an MRI.
“I think we dodged a bullet here,” Mendoza said.
To create space for Tehran, the Mets designated Michael Tonkin for assignment.
The 34-year-old right-hander made just three appearances with the Mets, among the last to make the Opening Day roster.
He allowed eight runs (two earned) in four innings, including a tough three-run 11th inning that led to the Mets’ loss Thursday afternoon ahead of a doubleheader.
The Reds held a moment of silence for Pat Zachry, a pitcher who was named rookie of the year for Cincinnati in 1976 and was traded the following year to the Mets in the infamous Tom Seaver trade.
Zachry, who pitched for the Mets from 1977 to 1982 and was an All-Star in 1978, died Thursday in Waco, Texas, at the age of 71.
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