Jesse Turnicker has been sidelined since early May but now seems ready to return. The Mets’ left-handed hitter made a potential rehab appearance on Sunday afternoon with Syracuse, showing signs of his former form.
He quickly made an impact by hitting a first-pitch fastball from Worcester’s right-hander Cooper Squirrel for a two-run homer that traveled 410 feet. This was Turnicker’s first long ball in Triple-A, although his second of the rehab assignment.
In his next at-bat, he worked a walk to load the bases but was caught trying to advance to third, leading to a sacrifice fly by Jared Young. Over two innings, Turnicker also earned another walk but was left on base as Jose Azocal ended the inning with a hit.
The 31-year-old was retired in his last two appearances, flying out to center in the 7th and again in the 9th. Overall, he finished the game with a two-run homer and a walk.
Although Turnicker is hitting just .143 in five rehab games, he’s responsible for driving in seven runs with a .904 OPS. Before the game, Carlos Mendoza said the team would assess how the Mets felt after a back-to-back series, but Turnicker might rejoin the squad for their Tuesday game in Baltimore. His return would greatly strengthen the lineup, as he had most of his DH at-bats against right-handed pitching before his injury.
Fan Take: Jesse Turnicker’s return could be a game-changer for the Mets, reigniting their offense and adding depth to their lineup. For baseball fans, this marks an exciting comeback story and a potential boost to the competition as the season progresses.
