Mets' Catcher Travis d'Arnaud Heads Back to DL

By Peyton Wesner

2015 was suppose to be the year that Mets' catcher and former Blue Jays' top prospect Travis d'Arnaud would finally break out and show Major League Baseball the same player that destroyed Eastern League pitching with New Hampshire in 2011 and Pacific Coast League pitching with Las Vegas in 2012. Unfortunately, just like last year, d'Arnaud has been plagued by injuries that has lessoned the amount of games played for the Mets. 

The former first round pick of the Philadelphia Phillies was off to a fantastic start this season as he had thirteen hits in his first eleven games (.317 average) with two of them being home runs. Then, diaster struck as d'Arnaud was hit on the right hand by a pitch from Miami's A.J. Ramos, ultimately fracturing his pinkie on his throwing hand. The estimated recovery time was three to four weeks, yet it took the catcher twice the amount of time (a little over seven weeks) to return to action.

Upon his return, d'Arnaud played well and put together a five-game hit streak between June 10 and June 15. Although he did not record a hit in two games at Toronto, he rebounded with a huge game against the Atlanta Braves, in which he smacked a home run and drove in three of New York's four runs. Great game, right? Not so much considering d'Arnaud's left arm was nearly ripped off by Atlanta's A.J. Pierzynski on a tag play at home plate in the sixth inning. d'Arnaud was immediately taken out of the game and despite negative x-rays, the twenty-six year old had suffered a left elbow sprain and was placed back on the DL yesterday. 

As he heads back to the DL, d'Arnaud is batting .296 with four home runs and seventeen RBIs in nineteen game played. Rookie Kevin Plawecki (.231 average, two home run, and fourteen RBIs) will take over starting duties for the Mets while fresh from Triple-A Las Vegas Johnny Monell (one hit in seventeen career at bats) will assume the back-up duties.