Canó back from IL, makes immediate impact

As Robinson Canó had hoped, the Mets activated him off the injured list Friday on the first day he was eligible. As the Mets had hoped, he made an immediate impact.

Batting fifth as the Mets’ designated hitter, Canó hit a game-tying single in their 6-5 loss to the Phillies, which ended half an inning later in spite of the veteran’s best efforts. Canó also hit a solo homer in the third inning, going back-to-back with Dominic Smith.

“He swung the bat good, almost like he didn’t lose a beat from the day he got hurt,” Mets manager Luis Rojas said. “He was swinging well when he got hurt. So coming back today, the first day going 2-for-5 with a homer, two RBIs, that clutch RBI in the ninth, shows that he didn’t lose a beat as far as his timing and how he’s feeling at the plate.”

Sidelined since Aug. 3 due to a Grade 2 adductor strain, Canó recovered quickly from the issue. The Mets were eager to get him back, considering he was their leading hitter with a .412 batting average at the time of his injury. But the team performed fine in his absence thanks to rookie Andrés Giménez, who is hitting .283 with two triples and a Major League-leading six stolen bases.

Now that Canó is back in the fold, Giménez can still receive playing time at third base (where he started on Friday), as well as second and shortstop. Starting shortstop Amed Rosario also returned to the lineup on Friday following a three-game absence due to a stomach bug, but the Mets intend to keep using Giménez as much as possible for as long as he is playing well.

With Yoenis Céspedes electing not to play the rest of the season, Canó may see significant time at DH as the Mets look to keep his 37-year-old legs healthy. That should open up additional time for Giménez and Luis Guillorme, who started Friday at second base.

“He’s going to be part of that [DH] rotation,” Rojas said of Canó. “We can rotate. We have that depth, and those two guys, Luis and Andrés, have versatility.”

To make room for Canó on the active roster, the Mets optioned reliever Drew Smith -- one of the few optionable players left on their roster -- to their alternate training site in Brooklyn.

McNeil day to day
A day after crashing into the left-field fence making a run-saving catch against the Nationals, Jeff McNeil said he was “sore,” but relieved at the fact that he had suffered nothing more than a bone bruise. Mets trainers checked McNeil for a concussion but found no evidence, and because both X-rays and an MRI came back negative, McNeil was able to avoid the IL.

“I woke up a little bit sore, but I’m going to go through as much as I can today and see where we’re at,” McNeil said. “As soon as I hit the wall, my knee was kind of numb and it felt weird. So I thought it was much worse. When I stood up, it didn’t feel like my knee was too stable. That’s what was kind of so scary. But to have all the good news come back, that’s really relieving, and hopefully I’ll be playing real soon again.”

Over the past few years, McNeil has sporadically missed time due to similar injuries, largely the result of his aggressive style of play. But both he and the Mets have indicated he won’t dial it back, knowing it is what has made him an All-Star-caliber player.

“He plays so hard, always,” Rojas said. “That’s how he plays, and it’s tough to just take the aggressiveness away from a guy to play safe. He might even get hurt by doing that. … I’m just glad there’s nothing more serious in there and that he’s working his way back to being available.”