PHILADELPHIA — The Mets are preparing for a little four-play in the outfield.
As Juan Lagares continues his rehab assignment at Triple-A Las Vegas and nears a return to the Mets, perhaps by Thursday, manager Terry Collins already has begun considering how to find playing time for four outfielders.
Collins plans to meet with the group, which also includes Eric Young Jr., Chris Young and Curtis Granderson, and discuss playing time. Collins was preparing to hold the same meeting two weeks ago, but the point became moot when Lagares was placed on the disabled list with a pulled right hamstring.
What message will Collins convey?
“That they’re all good and we can only play three of them,” Collins said before the Mets beat the Phillies 6-1 Tuesday. “The only message you can say is, ‘Only three of you can play, so somebody, you’re going to have some nights off. Each and every one of you is going to get some nights off.’ ”
Young, who went 1-for-3 with an RBI double, has brought some power to the lineup — he homered twice on the Mets’ last homestand — and Young Jr. has struggled recently after a strong road trip earlier in the month. Granderson has been the biggest disappointment, hitting only .136 with a homer and seven RBIs.
Lagares was the Mets’ biggest offensive threat before the hamstring injury, hitting .314 with a .816 OPS. He is also among the premier defensive outfielders in the majors.
The most likely scenario will have Granderson playing every day with Lagares, Young and Young Jr., playing a rotation game over the other two outfield positions.
“They all want to play, especially early in the season when it’s cooler and their energy stays up,” Collins said. “Like in the case of Grandy, he doesn’t want to sit. He’s on the same page as [us], the only way you get out of this thing is to get out there and keep swinging.”
Daniel Murphy, who went 3-for-5 with an RBI, stole second base in the fifth inning, giving him 28 straight stolen bases since June 13 of last year. Kevin McReynolds holds the franchise record with 33 straight from 1987-89.