DENVER — Travis d’Arnaud’s anticipated arrival to the Mets was placed into the “delayed indefinitely” mode yesterday, when the team revealed the stud catching prospect has a broken left foot.
The 24-year-old d’Arnaud sustained a non-displaced fracture of the first metatarsal of his left foot on a foul tip while behind the plate Wednesday for Triple-A Las Vegas. D’Arnaud was placed in a boot, and will be examined today at the Hospital for Special Surgery.
But a club source indicated d’Arnaud will probably be sidelined from baseball activities for the next 4-8 weeks. He would then need additional weeks of conditioning before returning to action for Las Vegas. The Mets had hoped d’Arnaud might be ready for promotion to the major leagues by the All-Star break or earlier, but that now may not be possible.
“It is what it is and I’ll have to deal with it,” d’Arnaud told The Post, adding that he hasn’t considered his immediate future. “I’ll have to go to New York and see what they say.”
D’Arnaud, who was the centerpiece of the R.A. Dickey trade to Toronto last December, was batting .250 with a homer and eight RBIs in 12 games for Las Vegas. Though he was in the minors, the Mets considered him next on the depth chart at catcher if starter John Buck needed an extended absence.
“What we had in place if something should happen [to Buck] now has to change,” manager Terry Collins said. “I feel terrible for Travis and I feel terrible for us. But that’s not going to keep me from using John Buck the way I see fit, because if something happens, something happens and we have to adjust again.
“We don’t have that main piece in place to come up and replace [Buck], so obviously it’s going to be up to the other guys that are here to get the job done.”
Anthony Recker remains the Mets’ backup catcher with Landon Powell at Las Vegas, along with Juan Centeno, who was promoted yesterday from Double-A Binghamton. Centeno is expected to be the starter for Las Vegas.
D’Arnaud had a strong spring training for the Mets, but didn’t break camp with the club because team officials wanted him to receive more playing time at Triple-A, after he missed the second half of last season recovering from a torn posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
There was also the matter of keeping d’Arnaud in the minors until at least June so not to start his arbitration clock a year early.
Buck’s inclusion in the Dickey deal with Toronto ensured the Mets wouldn’t have to rush d’Arnaud to the big leagues. The Mets also received pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard and minor league outfielder Wuilmer Becera.
In addition to Dickey, the Blue Jays received catchers Josh Thole and Mike Nickeas in the deal.