Jeff McNeil to Rehab with Brooklyn
The Squirrel is a Brooklyn Cyclone.
2019 National League All-Star and batting leader Jeff McNeil will play for the Cyclones in Norwich, Conn. tonight as part of a rehab assignment, the New York Mets announced earlier Friday.
Brooklyn is slated to play a doubleheader on the road tonight against the Connecticut Tigers at Dodd Stadium. Game 1 will start at 4:35 p.m., and the game can be heard online on the Brooklyn Cyclones Radio Network. To listen, click here.
McNeil continues his return from a strained left hamstring, which he suffered while trying to beat out a ground ball late in a game at the Atlanta Braves on Aug. 13.
The second-year big-leaguer currently leads the National League with a .332 batting average, also good for second-best in the MLB. He also ranks fifth in the NL with a .400 on-base percentage.
The Long Beach State product played in his first game in 10 days on Thursday night, leading off and starting in right field for the Triple-A Syracuse Mets. McNeil was hit by a pitch in his only plate appearance, and he later stole second and scored. After the first inning, the game was halted and, eventually, postponed due to rain.
McNeil will become the fourth Met and the first position player to make a rehab outing with the Cyclones this season. Jeurys Familia, Noah Syndergaard, and Justin Wilson previously pitched for Brooklyn in 2019. In franchise history, 27 different Mets have donned a Cyclones uniform as part of their return from injury.
This will be the first time “The Squirrel” plays for Brooklyn. The Mets’ 12th-round pick in 2013 made his pro debut that summer with Kingsport (Advanced Rookie) and leapt to the Full-Season Class A level to begin 2014. He would go on to play for Advanced-A St. Lucie, Double-A Binghamton, and Las Vegas — the Mets’ Triple-A affiliate at the time — during his six seasons in the minor leagues.
McNeil made his MLB debut with the Mets in July 2018. In 168 career big-league games, he’s posted a .331 batting average with 42 doubles, 18 home runs, 74 RBI, and 102 runs scored.
— Dom
Tonight’s Games: Brooklyn at Connecticut (DH), 4:35 p.m.
Dodd Stadium, Norwich, Conn.
Game 1 Probables: RHP Michel Otanez (1–1, 3.00) at RHP Kyle Thomas (0–0, 0.93)
Audio: brooklyncyclones.com/listen
