NEW YORK -- Ronny Mauricio’s winding road back to the big leagues took another turn -- albeit an expected one -- on Saturday, when the Mets reinstated him from the injured list and optioned him to Triple-A Syracuse. Mauricio will remain there until New York both deems him ready for Major League action and has a roster need.
Mauricio, 24, has been rehabbing since December 2023, when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic. He underwent surgery at that time, then a second operation last August to remove scar tissue from the knee. Only in late April, more than 16 months after his initial injury, did Mauricio advance to game action on a Minor League rehab assignment.
Mauricio’s rehab clock, which can last a maximum of 21 days, was set to expire this weekend. Because Mauricio is technically a healthy player, the Mets made the administrative move to activate him and option him to Syracuse, where he was already playing.
“It’s just … becoming a normal baseball player, getting used to playing every day without the restrictions,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said of the option. “Maybe you’re only playing five innings [on rehab], you’re only playing seven. Just continue to play full games, continue to play back-to-back, three, four games in a row, and he’s not there yet. We’ve got to get him there.”
The Mets have no reason to rush Mauricio, considering their infield is fully stocked with Francisco Lindor, Mark Vientos, Jeff McNeil, Brett Baty and Luisangel Acuña all regularly drawing starts.
But once Mauricio is physically ready to contribute on an everyday basis, the Mets believe he can impact them. Long a top prospect of the organization, Mauricio has posted elite exit velocities in the Major Leagues, as well as an .852 OPS during his last full Minor League season in 2023. He likely would have won an everyday job on the 2024 Opening Day roster had he been healthy enough to do so.
Where Mauricio plays once healthy will depend largely on the Mets’ needs at that time. While at Triple-A, Mauricio will take reps at shortstop, second and third base in preparation for any scenario.
“He’s a guy that missed a whole year last year, and he’s got to get used to that routine of playing every day -- being a normal, healthy player,” Mendoza said. “He’s healthy but without the restrictions now. We’ll watch him. We know the tools. We know how impactful this guy can be. But he missed a whole year of development, and we want to see the reps and how he handles that.”