MLB

Mets demote struggling Travis d’Arnaud

SAN FRANCISCO — Travis d’Arnaud will have to work out his hitting troubles in the minor leagues.
The rookie catcher was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas following the Mets’ 5-4 loss to the Giants on Saturday, a game in which d’Arnaud did not participate.

Catcher Taylor Teagarden was selected from Las Vegas to replace d’Arnaud.

“I’ve just got work to do,” d’Arnaud said. “I’ve got to find my swing.”

D’Aranud would not say if the demotion caught him by surprise.

After finishing 0-for-3 and hitting into two double plays in the Mets’ loss to the Giants on Friday, d’Arnaud said his play had been “unacceptable.”

Since returning from a two-week stint on the disabled list recovering from a concussion, d’Arnaud was 3-for-26 (.115). Overall, he is batting .180 this season.

David Wright was among the players who spoke to d’Arnaud. Wright said d’Arnaud took the demotion hard.
“He’s upset, and I think he’s upset at himself,” Wright said. “But it’s a bump in the road, and that’s what I told him.”

Wright said it’s possible d’Arnaud, who arrived in the deal before last season that sent R.A. Dickey to the Blue Jays, was overwhelmed by the amount of work that goes into preparing the team’s pitchers and couldn’t concentrate enough on his hitting.

“He’s got to remember he’s one of the best young catching prospects in baseball,” Wright said.

Tegarden, who appeared in 23 games for the Orioles last season, was batting .279 with eight homers and 19 RBIs in 104 at-bats at Las Vegas.


Ruben Tejada entered play with a six-game hitting streak, but went 0-for-4. During his streak, he was 10-for-24 (.417) to make him Collins’ primary choice at shortstop lately. Tejada has been dividing time with Wilmer Flores at the position.


Saturday’s loss was the Mets’ 20th after holding a lead at any point in the game — the most in the major leagues. Eleven of those 20 losses had come on the road.


Zack Wheeler’s best outing last season might have been his one-run performance over seven innings at AT&T Park. It was the Giants who traded Wheeler to the Mets in 2011 for Carlos Beltran. Wheeler will get the call on Sunday against Tim Lincecum in the series finale.