LOS ANGELES — Tomas Nido received a second straight start behind the plate for Jacob deGrom on Monday, but that doesn’t mean the Mets ace necessarily has a personal catcher.
That is manager Mickey Callaway’s story, at least, and he is sticking to it.
“It was more because Wilson [Ramos] had played four games in a row,” Callaway said before the Mets lost the opener of a four-game series at Dodger Stadium.
In five starts with Ramos behind the plate, deGrom has pitched to a 5.33 ERA this season. With Nido as the starting catcher for four starts, deGrom had pitched to a 0.67 ERA, entering play. DeGrom went five innings, giving up seven hits and two runs while striking out two Monday.
“[Nido] has done a great job,” Callaway said. “We trust both of these guys, but Ramos, we got him for a reason and he is going to continue to be our starting catcher the majority of the time.”
Callaway indicated he considered starting Nido on Sunday, but wanted Ramos’ bat in the lineup against the Tigers. Ramos entered play with an 1.160 OPS in his previous 14 games.
Robinson Cano accompanied the team on the road trip to participate in pregame workouts, suggesting he could be activated from the injured list when he is eligible on Sunday or shortly thereafter.
Cano has been sidelined with strained left quadriceps. Jeff McNeil and Brandon Nimmo remained in New York to receive treatment from the medical staff and are likely behind Cano in their comeback timetable. McNeil has a strained left hamstring and Nimmo is rehabbing from a bulging disk in his neck.
Seth Lugo also accompanied the Mets on the trip and could be close to a return from shoulder tendinitis. The right-hander has been playing catch, but is yet to throw a side session and may need to face hitters in a live batting practice before returning.
The Mets entered play with 98 runs scored in the seventh inning or later, which was tied with the Diamondbacks for the best such output in the major leagues. They added two more runs Monday night.
“We have a great bench, that is part of it,” Callaway said. “Our bench has probably had more success than most in Major League Baseball because they are embracing that role and they have the ability to do it.”
Mets pinch hitters entered play with a National League-best .366 on-base percentage before going 1-for-2 on Monday.
