Mets non-roster outfielder Mike Tauchman is expected to be out for six weeks after undergoing meniscus surgery on his left knee, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post. The team announced the operation last week but had not provided a timetable for his return.
The injury probably cost Tauchman a spot on the Opening Day roster. The 35-year-old was in camp on a minor league deal but had a solid path to breaking with the MLB club. The Mets were likely to call up top prospect Carson Benge as the everyday right fielder either way, but there was a depth spot for the taking. Tauchman’s left-handed bat would have fit well on a bench that leans to the right side. Jared Young made the team in that role instead.
Tauchman has been an above-average hitter in three consecutive years. He’s coming off a .263/.356/.400 showing across 385 plate appearances for the White Sox. Tauchman is a platoon player whose game is built around a patient approach that keeps his on-base percentage high. His spring numbers were similar, as he walked four times and was hit twice more in 35 trips to the plate.
It seems Tauchman will be back on the field sometime in the middle of May. He’ll presumably spend some time in Triple-A before the Mets reconsider whether to call him up. Young and MJ Melendez are the two left-handed hitting depth outfielders on New York’s 40-man roster.
