New York Mets outfielder Jose Siri was forced to leave Saturday’s game in the second inning after fouling a ball off his left shin, just below the knee. While X-rays came back negative, his absence could be longer than the initial “day-to-day” prognosis suggested.
Siri was on the ground in pain for several minutes after the injury, had to be carted to the clubhouse, and needed crutches to get around afterward. Hours before their series finale in Sacramento, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said the speedy outfielder was still using crutches when he arrived Sunday.
“He’s pretty sore, not able to put weight on it. He’s getting treatment right now, and we’ll see where we’re at, but he’s in pain,” Mendoza said. He added that they will have a better sense of the situation on Monday, but with the way Siri is currently feeling, Mendoza could see this resulting in a stint on the injured list.
Siri, 29, is in his first season with the Mets after being acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in an offseason trade. Through his first 10 games with New York, he is batting 1-for-20 (.050) with a .308 OPS.
When he does reach base, Siri has shown the ability to change a game with his elite speed, which ranked in the 99th percentile last year, according to Statcast. In their opening series against Houston, he manufactured the game-tying run by stealing second base, advancing to third on a flyout, and scoring on a groundout after faking that he was not going to run.
Though the fifth-year veteran slugged 43 home runs over the previous two seasons, he is best known for his elite defense. In 2024, he ranked second among center fielders with 16 Outs Above Average.
If Siri is forced to miss time, the Mets can turn to Tyrone Taylor as the everyday center fielder. Brandon Nimmo and Starling Marte also have experience at the position, but a minor league call-up could be more likely to take over as the primary backup in the short term.
With Rafael Ortega and No. 11 prospect Drew Gilbert both currently on the 7-day IL, José Azócar and Billy McKinney stand out as top call-up candidates playing in Triple-A. However, neither player is currently on the 40-man roster, meaning they would need to be added before joining the big league club.
