Mets activate Jeff McNeil, designate Aaron Altherr, and place Tomas Nido on the injured list

After a string of bad injury updates for the Mets, reinforcements are finally on the way. The Mets have activated Jeff McNeil from the injured list ahead of tonight’s game. He is not in the starting lineup, but will be available off the bench to pinch hit. The plan is for McNeil to return to the lineup for tomorrow’s game. He is hitting .332 this season with a .400 on-base percentage. When asked about whether McNeil would immediately be slotted back into the leadoff spot, Mickey Callaway was noncommittal, saying that he may move around in the lineup and potentially around the diamond as well.

In order to make room on the roster for McNeil, the Mets have designated Aaron Altherr for assignment. In 35 plate appearances as a Met, Altherr had just four hits and posted a 22 wRC+.

However, as one injured Met returns, another has been placed on the injured list. After being struck in the head by Josh Donaldson’s follow-through in the sixth inning of last night’s game, Tomas Nido has been placed on the 7-day concussion injured list. After he was removed from the game, Rene Rivera was pulled from his game at Triple-A Syracuse and he has joined the Mets in Queens for tonight’s game.