Tomas Nido is expected to return to the Mets on Tuesday, hoping his second activation off the injured list from a sprained left thumb goes better than the first.
After his first time back lasted just one game, Nido played in a pair of rehab games with Triple-A Syracuse over the weekend and responded well, making the catcher likely to be activated on Tuesday against the Cardinals.
“He feels really good from catching the two games,” manager Luis Rojas said before Monday’s 7-0 loss to St. Louis. “Just swinging, hitting the ball, the thumb feels OK catching. He’s good.”
Nido, who went 3-for-7 on the rehab assignment, was back at Citi Field on Monday taking batting practice during a scheduled day off. Patrick Mazeika has served as the Mets’ second catcher in his absence.
James McCann, meanwhile, started his sixth straight game behind the plate on Monday and went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. He was coming off a productive series against the Yankees in which he went 3-for-9 with a double, triple, home run, six RBIs and three walks.
“It’s good to see Mac swinging like that. It’s the best I’ve seen him swing,” Rojas said. “He’s pulling the ball, he’s not limiting himself to openly hitting the ball to right field where I think he gets in trouble sometimes. You see him hit a couple foul balls and next thing you know he’s 1-2 and he’s battling. He’s not thinking straightaway center, and he’s able to pull what he can pull and he goes the other way when he can go the other way like the sac fly [Sunday].”
“Good approach right now,” Rojas said. “The way he’s swinging and other guys down there are swinging, they can connect the top [of the lineup] and the top is going to come with runners in scoring position or some traffic.”
Noah Syndergaard threw a touch-and-feel bullpen on Monday and remains on track to face hitters in live batting practice later in the week. It will be his first time facing hitters since Aug. 26 — the first outing of his second rehab assignment coming back from Tommy John — after which he tested positive for COVID-19.
Jacob deGrom (elbow) continued his throwing program from 90 feet Monday and will “probably” progress to throwing off a mound this week, per Rojas. … Brandon Nimmo (hamstring) ran the bases and took batting practice as he continues trying to come back from the IL earlier than expected.