Chris Young could have more disabled-list stints with the Mets than official at-bats by Thursday.
After playing the top of the first inning in the Mets’ 5-1 loss to the Nationals, the veteran outfielder was removed from the game with tightness in his right quadriceps and could be a DL candidate, according to manager Terry Collins.
Young sustained the injury in his final at-bat of the exhibition season on Saturday in Montreal and missed Monday’s opener. He was chasing a foul ball in left field in the first inning Wednesday when he felt a “grab” in the right quad.
“It feels like a bad dream,” said Young, who signed a one-year contract worth $7.25 million with the Mets during the offseason. “It’s the last way you want to come with a new team and I feel terrible about it. At the same time you can’t control it.”
Andrew Brown took Young’s spot in left field beginning in the second inning and finished 0-for-4 at the plate.
“Whatever the result is, it’s all about getting back on the field as soon as possible,” Young said. “I’m going to do everything in my power to do that.”
Jon Niese, who threw 76 pitches in a simulated minor league game on Tuesday, arrived from Florida and said he is on track to pitch Sunday for the Mets. Niese expects to throw a bullpen session Thursday at Citi Field.
Triple-A pitching coach Frank Viola underwent successful open-heart surgery. The 53-year-old Viola, a former Cy Young award winner with the Twins, has indicated he wants to return to his position this season.
“He certainly wants to be back, but I think we’ll let the doctors dictate exactly when he does come back,” Alderson said. “When he’s ready and able I’m sure he’ll be out there, but we want to make sure he’s fully recovered from this surgery first.”
Alderson indicated the Mets received a strong scouting report on Bobby Abreu from hitting coach Dave Hudgens, who managed the veteran outfielder in Venezuela over the winter. The Mets signed the 40-year-old Abreu to a minor-league deal on Monday.
“[Abreu] is somebody we think conceivably at some point could be a guy off the bench,” Alderson said. “He’s got a great approach at the plate, so at this point signing him to a contract at Las Vegas was attractive to us.”