Lowrie not sprinting yet, timetable is cloudy

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Five weeks after suffering a sprained left knee capsule, Jed Lowrie still has not attempted to run full speed. Lowrie ran earlier this week on an AlterG treadmill, which lessens the pull of gravity and the strain on joints, but he does not appear particularly close to a full slate of sprints and baseball activities.

In other words, in addition to being without Lowrie on Opening Day, the Mets have no clear idea of when he might return.

“I’m dealing in reality,” Lowrie said. “It’s just a matter of getting it right and helping this team win when it is right.”

Signed this winter to be the Mets’ starting third baseman, Lowrie will instead remain in Port St. Lucie when the rest of the team heads north on Monday. He will not match the career-high 157 games in which he appeared last season.

At this point, the Mets are simply hopeful that when Lowrie returns -- whenever he returns -- he will provide something similar to the .267 average and .801 OPS he posted last season.

“The focus has got to be on the long-term,” Lowrie said. “You have to make sure that this isn’t reoccurring. … Obviously, I want to be there every day with my teammates, but there are some things in this world that are out of your control no matter how long you try.”

With Lowrie and Todd Frazier both set to open on the injured list, Jeff McNeil will serve as the Mets’ starting third baseman and likely two-hole hitter against right-handed pitchers.

Hitting the links

David Wright has found something to occupy a bit of his free time in retirement. Wright will be an honorary ambassador for the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage Black golf course on Long Island from May 16-19. The PGA created the honorary ambassador role “to salute an individual from the PGA Championship host city who embodies the core values of the PGA of America, is passionate about the game of golf and is strongly connected to the community.”

Last year’s ambassador, Cardinals Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith, was on hand Friday in Port St. Lucie to “pass the torch” to Wright.

Teenage dream

Batting eighth for the Mets in Friday’s 15-5 loss to the Cardinals was 38-year-old outfielder Rajai Davis. Batting ninth was a player less than half his age.

The Mets borrowed 17-year-old shortstop Ronny Mauricio from Minor League camp for the day, offering their third-ranked prospect an extended look at life as a big leaguer. He played the entire game at designated hitter, finishing 1-for-3 with a single and a sacrifice fly.

The lasting thrill for Mauricio occurred when Robinson Cano, one of his childhood idols, approached him during the game in an effort to calm his nerves.

“As I’ve been here, I’m just growing more, playing with older players and mature Major Leaguers,” Mauricio said through an interpreter. “I’m just learning a lot more.”

Up next

Jacob deGrom will head up to Disney World on Saturday for his final spring tuneup against the Braves. With the clock ticking on his deadline to ink a contract extension, deGrom will scale back to around 50 pitches in preparation for his Opening Day start Thursday in Washington. He’ll oppose right-hander Josh Tomlin in Saturday’s 1:05 p.m. ET game.