Cesar

Puello

Puello inked a minor-league deal with the Mets back in early June after being released by the Red Sox earlier this year. The 30-year-old outfielder appeared in five games for the Red Sox during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign.

Puello opened the 2021 campaign in the Red Sox organization at Triple-A Worcester, but wound up appearing in just 15 games before being released. He’ll presumably head to Triple-A Syracuse and serve as organizational outfield depth for the Mets.

Puello was designated for assignment and elected free agent in October. He’s a career .246/.354/.347 hitter in parts of three seasons in the majors, and will try and win a spot on the Boston bench to begin the 2021 season.

He’ll look for a gig elsewhere rather than accept the Red Sox’ outright assignment. Puello, 29, is a career .246/.354/.347 hitter over parts of three seasons in the majors.

He’s now missed two straight starts after tweaking his left hamstring Friday. Verdugo isn’t available off the bench Sunday, but the hope is that he could be ready to play as soon as Tuesday. Cesar Puello is handling right field again.

The 29-year-old is a career .239/.346/.346 hitter with four homers and 21 RBI in 186 plate appearances at the big league level. With Alex Verdugo nursing a hamstring injury, Puello could see a few starts in the outfield over the final week of the season, though he isn’t an appealing option from a fantasy perspective.

Puello is allowed to reject the assignment and become a free agent. The 28-year-old outfielder made 147 plate appearances between the Angels and Marlins in 2019 and batted .248/.356/.384 with four home runs.

He’ll play five innings Friday before upping his workload after that. Puello has missed most of this month with a left hip flexor strain.

Puello was scratched from Miami’s starting lineup on Sunday due to discomfort in his hip, and tests taken later revealed the flexor strain. He’ll probably be out for at least a couple of weeks. Lewis Brinson has been recalled from Triple-A New Orleans in a corresponding move and should get regular playing time in center field moving forward.

No other details are available, but it sounds like a day-to-day situation. Yadiel Rivera is taking Puello’s spot in center field.