Rollins set to begin rehab assignment Monday - MLB

jimmy rollins headshot phillies.jpg Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins has played in only 12 games this season and has served two different stints on the 15-day disabled list due to a pesky muscle strain in his right calf.

When healthy he’s been great, batting .341 with a .462 on-base percentage in 41 at-bats, but it’s hard to help a team in such a limited fashion. The Phillies trail the red-hot Braves by two games in the National League East standings and have only a slight edge over the Mets. The club needs offense, and hopefully Rollins will soon be able to provide it.

According to Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the veteran shortstop is scheduled to begin a minor league rehab assignment on Monday with Single-A Clearwater. That should put him about one week away from rejoining the Phillies’ starting lineup and providing his usual brand of offensive spark. For now, Juan Castro and Wilson Valdez will continue to handle shortstop duties.

PITTSBURGH — The New York Mets will have to dig out of an early-season hole without star first baseman Pete Alonso.

The leading home run hitter in the majors will miss three-to-four weeks with a bone bruise and a sprain in his left wrist.

The Mets placed Alonso on the 10-day injured list Friday, retroactive to June 8. Alonso was hit in the wrist by a 96 mph fastball from Charlie Morton in the first inning of a 7-5 loss to Atlanta on Wednesday.

Alonso traveled to New York for testing on Thursday. X-rays revealed no broken bones, but the Mets will be missing one of the premier power hitters in the game as they try to work their way back into contention in the NL East.

“We got better news than it could have been,” New York manager Buck Showalter said. “So we take that as a positive. It could have been worse.”

New York had lost six straight heading into a three-game series at Pittsburgh that began Friday. Mark Canha started at first for the Mets in the opener. Mark Vientos could also be an option, though Showalter said the coaching staff may have to use its “imagination” in thinking of ways to get by without Alonso.

“I’m not going to say someone has to step up and all that stuff,” Showalter said. “You’ve just got to be who you are.”

Even with Alonso in the lineup, the Mets have struggled to score consistently. New York is 16th in the majors in runs scored.

The team also said Friday that reliever Edwin Uceta had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. Uceta initially went on the IL in April with what the team called a sprained left ankle. He is expected to be out for at least an additional eight weeks.

New York recalled infielder Luis Guillorme and left-handed reliever Zach Muckenhirn from Triple-A Syracuse. The Mets sent catcher Tomás Nido to Triple-A and designated reliever Stephen Nogosek for assignment.

Nogosek is 0-1 with a 5.63 ERA in 13 games this season.