Mets GM Van Wagenen speaks to press, gives injury and COVID updates

For the first time since the original edition of spring training, Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen addressed the media in a public news conference, giving updates on injured players and COVID protocols, among other items.

According to Van Wagenan, outfielder Michael Conforto is fully recovered from an oblique injury suffered during spring training and should be “back and ready to go without restrictions.” He also said that Noah Syndergaard, who underwent Tommy John surgery after suffering a UCL tear in the offseason, had a successful surgery and is undergoing physical therapy in Florida.

Van Wagenan was less clear on injured players Yoenis Céspedes and Jed Lowrie, however. Saying of Céspedes that he’s “closer to game-ready than in March,” Van Wagenan did not provide a return date for the star outfielder, but he provided optimism that he would return this season. Of Lowrie, he said the infielder is still transitioning out of his leg brace. Lowrie only had eight plate appearances last year for the Mets, while Céspedes hasn’t played since July of 2018.

Van Wagenen also revealed that one player on the 40-man roster and a few minor leaguers in the Mets organization have tested positive for COVID-19 and that they are all recovering. He said the Mets were lucky not to have any player test positive in their training facility in Port St. Lucie, and that he expects everyone on the 40-man roster to report to camp at Citi Field.

After a busy morning in which the Mets added outfielders Ryan Cordell and Melky Cabrera, infielder Gordon Beckham, and pitchers Hunter Strickland and Erasmo Ramirez, the Mets GM said they would fill out the rest of the 60-man roster once they open up the Cyclones’ facility in Brooklyn for camp. As of today, the Mets have only named 50 players to their 60-man roster.

Other highlights:

• The organization expressed support for Mets players addressing racial injustice through social media, saying: “Our players have a platform to influence people and influence thought.”
• On the possibility of fans at Citi Field: “We’ll continue to play under the environment we’re in now.”
• On the return of everyone in the coaching staff: “We don’t have full clarity whether all of our coaches will be here.”
• Van Wagenen did not rule out the possibility of adding Tim Tebow to the 60-man roster.