Originally slated to start on Opening Day, Niese will make his season debut on Sunday, while Flores will get regular playing time in Triple-A.
Following the Mets' thrilling victory over the Reds this afternoon, the Mets activated lefty Jon Niese from the disabled list and optioned Wilmer Flores to Triple-A Las Vegas. Neither move comes as a surprise, as Niese has been on track for his April 6 debut ever since he began throwing following a cortisone shot in his left elbow. Flores, meanwhile, will get regular at-bats and play shortstop and second base in Vegas.
With an extra spot on the roster, the Mets carried Flores for a few days after calling him up for a spot start in Daniel Murphy's absence. With Chris Young hitting the disabled list, Flores got to stick around awhile. He'll get a shot to play shortstop and second base in the minors.
The 27-year-old Niese dealt with shoulder and elbow soreness in spring training but has not had any pain in his outings over the past couple of weeks. Last year, he posted a 3.71 ERA and 3.58 FIP despite a poor start to the season and a stint on the disabled list with a partial tear in his left rotator cuff. His success—and, of course, health—figure to be a big factor in the Mets' 2014 season.