Jeff McNeil spent his life dreaming of the moment he would step into a major league batter’s box. He waited five years after being drafted in the 12th round in 2013 by the Mets — but he needed just one pitch to make it all worthwhile.
McNeil, summoned from Triple-A on Monday night, lined the first major league pitch he saw — a Phil Hughes fastball — into center for a pinch-hit single in the eighth inning of the Mets’ 6-3 victory over the Padres on Tuesday at Citi Field.
“It felt amazing,” said McNeil, who was hitting .368 at Las Vegas before his call-up. “Just going up there looking for a good pitch to hit. He threw me a fastball right down the middle, put a good swing on it.”
McNeil, who hit 19 homers this season between Double-A and Triple-A, went up thinking of being aggressive. And he was.
“Don’t want to fall behind especially coming off the bench,” said McNeil, who stressed he felt the energy and anticipation from the crowd of 21,925. “Always want to get the first hit out of the way, now come back tomorrow and try to do the same thing. It was unbelievable, something I’ve always dreamed of.”
McNeil, 26, missed his initial flight Monday night, but still arrived in plenty of time Tuesday morning. His wife, parents, brother and sister trekked from Santa Barbara, Calif., for his debut. A second baseman by trade, McNeil has played multiple positions, an ability that, along with his power, makes him appealing to manager Mickey Callaway.
Ty Kelly was designated for assignment Tuesday and Phil Evans was called up and inserted into the starting lineup, hitting eighth and playing third base.
“Evans has been doing a really good job against lefties in Triple-A,” Callaway said. “So with the lefties pitching against us tonight [Eric Lauer], tomorrow [Clayton Richard], we thought it would be best to go ahead and activate [Evans] today and then get him in there starting at third.”
The Mets are in position, with a victory Wednesday, to win a series for the first time since May 18-20. They have gone 17 series since.
Seth Lugo pitched the final two innings for the Mets and surrendered an RBI double to Wil Myers in the ninth. Myers drove in all three Padres runs.
Michael Conforto’s homer in the third was his 13th of the season — and came off a lefty. Conforto is hitting .425 (17-of-40) vs. lefties after starting 9-of-54 (.167).
“He’s finally getting comfortable. In the past he hasn’t faced many lefties,” Callaway said. “Michael Conforto is the kind of talent it doesn’t matter if it’s left or right. He needs to be playing every day.”
With the non-waiver trade deadline approaching like a freight train, several Mets veterans are mentioned daily as possible pieces for contenders. One is Asdrubal Cabrera, who said he has received no indication of what could happen. And he said he’d be fine if nothing did.
“This is my team,” Cabrera said. “I’m happy over here. I like my teammates over here. I know we’re passing through a bad moment right now but we know where we want to be. And it’s nothing I can control.”
