Ronny Mauricio Out of Mets’ Stretch-Run Shuffle

Ronny Mauricio has become the forgotten man on the Mets roster as they push toward the season’s final weeks of the stretch run. Manager Carlos Mendoza acknowledged the rookie’s difficult spot before New York’s 7-4 loss to the Padres at Citi Field. “He’s in a tough spot, and it’s a tough spot for me, too,” Mendoza said. Mauricio enters September with just four at-bats in the month, all as a pinch-hitter, and his last start came Aug. 24 at third base in Atlanta. He did not appear Wednesday night.

Manager Mendoza said Mauricio is battling for at-bats in a crowded Mets lineup that includes Jeff McNeil, Brett Baty, Mark Vientos and Starling Marte. Vientos was squeezed from Wednesday’s starting eight as Marte started at designated hitter. Mauricio had posted a .410 OPS in August after thriving earlier in the summer; the Mets also have Luisangel Acuña as an infield option who can pinch-run and replace defensively.

Francisco Alvarez provided a scare Tuesday night when he was drilled in the left arm and left the game, but he returned to the starting lineup. Mendoza said Alvarez’s recovery was “amazing” after he managed to homer for the ninth time this year in the seventh inning Wednesday. “As soon as it happened [Tuesday] night, when I went out on the field I thought he was going to be done. He didn’t sound good from the dugout, and when you look up that was 102 [mph] that got him on the elbow,” Mendoza said. He added that further evaluation showed Alvarez was drilled more in the triceps than the elbow.

Luis Torrens was activated from the injured list, as Hayden Senger was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse. Torrens had been sidelined 10 days with a forearm contusion.

Tylor Megill is still under evaluation as options are considered regarding his right elbow.