CHICAGO — New York Mets outfielder Juan Lagares sat out Tuesday’s game with the Cubs and could miss Wednesday as a minor injury suffered a week ago continued to bother him.
“He has a small, slight strain probably somewhere underneath his armpit, probably caused by the diving catch he made in New York last week,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “He’s been bothered by it for a week and now it’s starting to flare up.”
Lagares suffered the injury on May 5 against the Orioles in the top of the fifth when he made a diving catch and tumbled, briefly appearing to touch his rib cage in pain.
He stayed in that game after an on-field examination.
But Lagares, who was batting .276 with a home run and 13 RBIs in 32 games, has struggled at the plate in the past week. He was 2-for-25 (.080) in his last six games.
Collins said an MRI on Tuesday showed no breaks, blood clots or any trauma and that Lagares has medication and is performing some rehab work.
“It’s just been bothering him, it bothers him to throw a little bit, it hurts him to run,” Collins said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it hurts him worse swinging than he admits to.
“If one or two days means that he’ll be okay, then we’ll give him that.”