After leaving in the 10th inning of Sunday's game, the Mets' center fielder is headed to the disabled list for the second time this season.
Juan Lagares is being placed on the disabled list for the second time this season after he left Sunday's game with pain in his rib cage. An MRI on Monday helped diagnose the center fielder with a right intercostal strain, and the Metsare placing him on the 15-day DL.
To take his place on the 25-man roster, Matt den Dekker is being recalled even though he was just optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas on Sunday. That move was to make room for left-handed pitcher Dana Eveland, but with Lagares getting hurt, the Mets need den Dekker's range and athleticism once again.
Although Lagares has missed time with a hamstring injury in April and a mysterious yet brief benching in May, he's proven himself to be one of the Mets' most valuable players this season. The offensive game isn't anything to write home about yet, but a .288/.331/.423 line is more that adequate when combined with his defensive skills, which are among the best in baseball. With an array of spectacular catches under his belt in 2014, Lagares is already worth 1.5 WAR according to FanGraphs.
den Dekker is another guy who profiles as a defensive wizard, and it's been nice to see him trim his Triple-A strikeout rate to 20 percent this season. He still doesn't have much major league experience, but at age 26, the Mets might as well see if he can survive in the big leagues.