The Mets finally got some decent medical news, when they learned that R.A. Dickey is only expected to be out “day-to-day” with a partial tear of his plantar fascia of his right foot — and got two hits from Angel Pagan, finally back in the lineup.
“I’m optimistic,” said Dickey, who underwent an MRI exam at the Hospital for Special Surgery yesterday. “I feel like it’s just a matter of managing the symptoms and I’ll be out there.”
Dickey suffered the injury when he stumbled as he tried to cover first base during Thursday’s loss to the Cubs.
“It’s sore,” said Dickey, who is 2-5 on the season. “But it’s probably 60 percent better than it was when I did it.”
Dickey said he expects to throw a bullpen session on Sunday to see if he can make his next start, but manager Terry Collins said he had a contingency plan if Dickey cannot pitch. He didn’t disclose what that would be. The pitching staff has already been decimated by injuries.
Pagan had been diagnosed with a strained oblique, but further tests showed a stress fracture of his rib cartilage.
“I have no pain in my ribs [anymore],” said Pagan, who was activated before last night’s 6-4 loss to the Phillies at Citi Field. “I never thought it would take this long.”
He received cortisone shot when he came back to New York for an MRI exam on May 7 and had been hitting just .159 when he got hurt.
“People expect a lot from me and I put a lot of pressure on myself to do more than I could do,” said Pagan, who went 2-for-4 in his return. “It was a big mistake for me and I learned from it.”
After the game, Pagan said he felt “great.”
The Mets also called up righty reliever Dale Thayer after designating lefty Pat Misch for assignment and optioning Fernando Martinez back to Triple-A Buffalo.
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General manager Sandy Alderson said it’s “very possible” that Ike Davis (sprained ankle) and David Wright (stress fracture in his lower back) could could rejoin the team after its 10-game homestand, but admitted it’s hard to put a firm date on it.
“Until they start engaging in that type of activity, we just can’t set a timetable going forward,” Alderson said of both players, neither of whom has resumed baseball activity. “I’m hopeful we’ll be able to do that in three or four days for both of them. . . . It’s obviously longer than we had hoped.”
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David Einhorn could become the majority owner of the Mets in three years, according to an ESPNNewyork.com report.
A source told the website that Einhorn, who is in negotiations to buy a portion of the team for $200 million, will have an option to increase his stake in the team to 60 percent, though principal owner Fred Wilpon and his family would be able to stop Einhorn by returning his original investment, but allowing him to keep his share of the team.
The Mets declined to comment, citing the ongoing negotiations.