A.J. Ewing notches three hits, steals base in win

No surprise after Benge suffered a left wrist injury on a collision with the left-field wall while making a sliding catch during Friday’s contest. The positive news for the Mets, and fantasy managers, is that initial X-rays came back negative for any fractures, and the Mets are currently calling it a bone bruise. It sounds like he could be back by the middle of next week. It’ll be fellow rookie A.J. Ewing taking over in left field with Luis Robert Jr. patrolling center field and Brett Baty in the opposite corner.

As the lone Met to bat five times, he flew out with the tying run on to end the 2-0 loss today. While he’s gone 5-for-5 stealing bases, Ewing is hitting .222/.271/.270 with 18 strikeouts in 15 games in the second half. The Mets need to keep playing him, but he might not be their best option in the leadoff spot right now.

Semien is back at second base and hitting sixth after sitting out the front-end of Wednesday’s twin bill. The 35-year-old veteran has been on a tear at the dish recently, homering three times in his last five games. The other change for New York involves Luis Robert Jr. taking a turn in center field with rookie sensation A.J. Ewing on the bench.

Ewing has hit leadoff in all but one game since July 6, starting against all four lefties the Mets have faced in that stretch. The rookie outfielder is now 14-for-20 on the bases this year, but he’s converted six in a row after an inefficient start. Ewing continues to look like a long-term building block for New York and will likely get all the playing time he can handle over the season’s final two months.

Benge takes a seat with Tyrone Taylor in left field and fellow rookie A.J. Ewing in the opposite corner. The 23-year-old has hit a bit of a rough patch since the All-Star break, hitting .200 (6-for-30) with one extra-base hit and 10 strikeouts during that eight-game span.

Soto declined to offer a definitive return timetable after hitting the injured list with a Grade 2 left calf strain over the weekend. The 27-year-old fantasy stalwart is expected to miss at least three weeks, which makes it unlikely he’ll return to New York’s lineup until at least late August. It’ll be rookie A.J. Ewing playing everyday in left field during his absene. There should be a clearer timeline from the Mets once Soto is cleared to resume baseball activities in the next few weeks. For the moment, fantasy managers should anticipate Soto playing again this season.

Ewing has been the team’s leadoff hitter in all but one game since July 6. The Mets are committed to building around him and fellow rookie Carson Benge, so this role should last through the August 3 deadline sell-off. Ewing had been off to a slow start in the second half, but he’s held his own overall as a 21-year-old rookie. The 11 stolen bases are nice, but he’s been caught six times. He’d ideally clean up that efficiency over the season’s final two months.

The Mets can’t seem to catch a break. Soto winds up requiring a trip to the injured list with a left calf issue for the second time this season after suffering the injury during Friday’s showdown against the Dodgers. New York’s interim skipper Andy Green told reporters Soto has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 strain that will keep him out for at least three weeks, if not longer. Simply put, fantasy managers shouldn’t expect him back until at least mid-to-late August or early September. The 27-year-old generational talent has put together another borderline elite fantasy campaign, slashing .283/.408/.539 with 46 runs scored, 21 homers, 52 RBI and seven steals in 359 plate appearances through 84 games. His absence kicks the door wide open for rookie A.J. Ewing to play everyday in left field.

Mets interim manager Andy Green said earlier this week that Ewing will shuffle between a couple outfield spots since he has experience doing that recently with Luis Robert Jr. handling center field exclusively now that he’s back from the injured list. The 21-year-old rookie has been an impactful fantasy contributor right out of the gate this season, hitting .271/.343/.425 with seven homers and 10 steals in 241 plate appearances across 61 games.

Robert Jr. has been on the injured list with a lumbar spine disk herniation since late April. He’s played in 24 games for the Mets, slashing .224/.327/.329 with two home runs and two steals. The Mets will likely trey to get Robert Jr. in the lineup often over the next two weeks to help facilitate a trade. That could cost A.J. Ewing at bats in the short-term or, perhaps more likely, one of the extra outfielders could slide to DH with Jorge Polanco heading to the bench.