The New York Mets made a striking depth chart change before Thursday’s game against the Chicago Cubs, activating Tomás Nido off the injured list and naming Gary Sánchez for assignment. Arguably the most remarkable aspect of these transactions is that they ensure young Francisco Álvarez will remain part of the big league roster.
Nido, 29, has been sidelined since early May with vision problems related to dry eye syndrome that he believes developed as a complication from previous eye surgery with LASIK. He underwent an operation to help his eyes stay lubricated. “It kind of relieved the eye pressure I had,” Nido told reporters last week, including MLB.com. “It felt like someone was pushing my head. I had a headache for 72 hours straight.”
Nido appeared in 19 games before being shelved, hitting .118/.148/.118 (minus -24 OPS+) with no home runs or extra base hits. He’s never been much of an offensive threat, but it’s fair to think his eyesight issues affected his ability to inflict damage.
Sanchez, 30, has appeared in just three games for the Mets. He went 1-for-6 with runs batted in and no extra base hits. He joined the organization earlier in May after being released by the San Francisco Giants. It’s not clear if he’ll find another big gig, or if he’ll accept a minor league assignment.
Alvarez, 21, hit .253/.316/.506 (124 OPS+) with six home runs in 95 plate appearances. He entered the season ranked by CBS Sports as the No. 3 prospect among the minors. Alvarez remains the starting figure most days, with veteran Omar Narvaez still unavailable after suffering a calf injury in April.
The Mets will enter Thursday night’s game with a 25-25 record on the season.