On Thursday, Daniel Murphy began a rehab assignment with the St. Lucie Mets as he continues to progress towards returning to the Mets.
On Friday, Sandy Alderson said Murphy will play for St. Lucie again tonight, and the club will decide what the next step is soon thereafter, either after the game or tomorrow morning.
“This is a guy we’d like to have now,” Alderson explained. However, “It’s a day-to-day proposition.”
He also said the club has been reluctant to make any changes on the infield over the last week because they haven’t been entirely sure when Murphy would return.
The Mets will reportedly move Wilmer Flores to second, install Ruben Tejada at shortstop, and move Murphy to third base when he’s activated.
Terry Collins hinted on Friday afternoon this was the expected alignment upon Murphy’s return.
Alderson did not say if Murphy would be returning at any point this weekend, although he hinted earlier this week that would be the case.
If Murphy’s ready, the Mets cannot afford for his bat to be absent any longer. So, it sounds like if there’s nothing definite, he’s still not completely past this quad strain, which isn’t terribly unexpected. It’s been three weeks, and these things typically take up to a month. He did play third base for seven innings last night, he is playing again tonight, and as long as he’s participating in these rehab games, there’s certainly nothing bad ongoing.
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