Mets injury update: Michael Cuddyer back in lineup but knee injury isn't going away

Michael Cuddyer is back in the Mets lineup tonight, just his third start since injuring his left knee on June 30. Earlier today manager Terry Collins said that the injury is something that his outfielder is going to have to deal with for the rest of the year, but that playing isn't likely to do further damage to it. Collins said that while Cuddyer feels good at the beginning of most games, his knee usually begins to bother him around the middle of the game and is usually fully swollen by the end.

Cuddyer did not play on Wednesday against the Giants and was reportedly going to have his knee examined when he returned to New York. Cuddyer has struggled in the first half with the Mets, hitting only .240/.292/.356 with six home runs and 28 RBI in 76 games. The coming All-Star break should help the veteran outfielder rest up for a few days and—one can only hope—try to turn things around in the second half.