Outfielder Justin Ruggiano, who joined the Mets on Saturday, left tonight’s game against the Yankees with a mild strain of his left hamstring. Ruggiano has made just ten plate appearances for the Mets after signing with the team as it placed Jose Reyes on the disabled list.
Before signing with the Mets, Ruggiano spent the season with the Texas Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate and hit .226/.321/.427 with seven home runs. In the big leagues last year, he hit .248/.333/.472 with six home runs and a 125 wRC+, albeit in just 141 plate appearances.
In his brief time with the Mets, Ruggiano has played center field, a position that’s in flux moving forward now that the team has acquired Jay Bruce. Even without Ruggiano’s injury, Curtis Granderson and Michael Conforto figured to get a lot of reps at the position as the Mets prioritize offense over outfield defense. How long Ruggiano will be out is an open question, but if he does hit the disabled list, it wouldn’t be surprising if that’s the end of his Mets’ tenure.