The Mets appear to be close to getting one of their rotation stalwarts back.
Jonathon Niese, out for over a month with a small rotator cuff tear in his left shoulder, will make another rehab start, this time for Double-A Binghamton. It was originally reported that he would be making a rehab start for Single-A Brooklyn, but that turned out not to be the case.
Niese had made two prior rehab starts, throwing four scoreless innings for Single-A St. Lucie last Thursday. If all goes well tonight, it will be Niese's last rehab start and he would then rejoin the rotation on Sunday, August 11 against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The 26-year-old lefty had struggled mightily before his injury, posting a 4.32 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in 77 innings with an awful 49/32 strikeout to walk ratio. It's unclear what caused the initial injury, but Niese still points to consecutive starts in frigid Minnesota and Colorado.
Once he returns, the Mets would go back to a six-man rotation, with Niese, Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Dillon Gee, Jenrry Mejia, and Jeremy Hefner.