Starling Marte could make Mets return from knee injury during homestand

SEATTLE — Carlos Mendoza will deal with the potential right-field logjam when it happens, but for now the Mets manager is just “excited” that the team may soon regain another piece.

Starling Marte played right field Sunday for Double-A Binghamton — the veteran outfielder went 0-for-2 with a walk over seven innings — and remains a possibility to rejoin the Mets on the next homestand.

The next step for Marte, according to Mendoza, is to play seven innings on consecutive days in the outfield.

Binghamton has the day off on Monday, but Marte, barring a postponement, would get the opportunity to meet that criteria over the ensuing two days.

Marte was placed on the injured list on June 25 with a bone bruise in his right knee .

“He’s a big part of this team and he’s been out for a long time, and guys I feel are stepping up,” Mendoza said before the Mets lost to the Mariners on Sunday. “But he’s going to be a huge addition for us. His bat, his speed, everything.”

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Tyrone Taylor has received much of the playing time in Marte’s absence , but Jesse Winker and Ben Gamel have also been involved.

Mark Vientos was a late scratch from the lineup with a sore left ankle.

Gamel was added to the lineup to play right field and Jeff McNeil moved to second base with Jose Iglesias at third.

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Vientos indicated he isn’t concerned about the ankle, which he said began bothering him during the last homestand and flared up before Sunday’s game.

Reed Garrett said he was encouraged by how his arm felt Sunday, a day after returning from the injured list and striking out the side in the sixth inning.

“I feel like I am bouncing back again so that is the biggest takeaway right now,” he said.

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Mendoza used Garrett in a low-leverage situation — the Mets were behind by three runs — just to ease him in for his first major league appearance in a month.

“I’m not really worried about where I am used,” Garrett said. “I am more worried about what I can do to help the guys out, whatever the inning.”

Sean Reid-Foley’s minor league rehab assignment for Triple-A Syracuse was postponed by weather.

The reliever is now scheduled to pitch one-plus innings on Tuesday for Syracuse, after which he will be evaluated for a potential return to the Mets.

McNeil is among the few Mets hitters producing at a consistent level since the All-Star break.

The utilityman entered play 23-for-71 (.324) with five homers and 13 RBIs in the 21 games since the All-Star break.

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