Dillon Gee’s strained right lat likely will cost him a third start.
The Mets right-hander had hoped to miss just two starts when he was placed on the disabled list last week, but has told team brass he would prefer to pitch in a minor league game before rejoining the club.
“I just feel more comfortable going down and pitching against hitters somewhere before I come back,” Gee said before the Mets’ 9-4 loss to the Dodgers Tuesday night at Citi Field.
Gee expects to throw on flat ground Wednesday for the first time since sustaining the injury.
Jacob deGrom, who will start Wednesday against the Dodgers, has assumed Gee’s rotation spot.
Matt Harvey told Sports Illustrated his goal is to make five to seven starts for the Mets this season, but general manager Sandy Alderson said the organization will take a conservative approach with the team ace, who underwent Tommy John surgery on Oct. 22. Normal recovery time is 10-14 months.
“Not being a medical doctor and not really faced with that decision previously, I’ll reserve judgment,” Alderson said. “But the one thing we don’t want to do is be put in a situation where someone — Matt, or anyone else — has a setback because we’ve pushed the natural recovery processes further than we should have.”
Alderson, from the start, has said the Mets do not expect Harvey to pitch in 2014.
Travis d’Arnaud still is in the “recovery” mode, according to Alderson, a week after suffering a concussion when hit during Alfonso Soriano’s backswing.
“At this point I don’t have a real good prognosis when he’ll be back,” Alderson said.
D’Arnaud must be administered a concussion test before the Mets can consider activating him. If d’Arnaud passes that test, he also must receive clearance from MLB and the players’ association to return.
“At this point, as he exercises he still experiences some symptoms, and as a result we’re still in the recovery period,” Alderson said.
Juan Lagares left the team because of a death in his family in the Dominican Republic but is expected to rejoin the Mets on Wednesday. The Mets played a man short on Tuesday rather than place Lagares on the bereavement list, which would have kept him inactive for a minimum of three days.
Gonzalez Germen, who was placed on the disabled list last week with a virus, has been yanked from his rehab assignment, according to Alderson, after developing an abscess.