Mets send Paul Sewald back to Las Vegas 51s
Las Vegan Paul Sewald was optioned back to the 51s after a brief stint in the majors to make room for outfielder Juan Lagares on the Mets’ roster.
Lagares was dealing with a strained left oblique and recently completed a rehab assignment with the St. Lucie Mets.
Sewald, a right-handed reliever, was called up last weekend and made his first two career appearances with the Mets. He gave up two runs in 1⅓ innings pitched.
He made one scoreless appearance with the 51s before being called up. Last season, Sewald had 19 saves and a 3.29 ERA in 65 2/3 innings pitched for the 51s.
The move restores the Mets’ bench to five men and bullpen to seven. The Mets will have to make another roster move when the suspended Jeurys Familia comes back this month.
Sewald probably will return to the closer’s role, taking over for Chasen Bradford, who was 2-for-2 in his absence.
Meanwhile, outfielder Victor Cruzado was placed on the seven-day disabled list retroactive to Tuesday to make room for Sewald. Manager Pedro Lopez said Cruzado has a strained oblique. Cruzado was scratched from a start Sunday in El Paso.
Lopez said he thinks Cruzado first felt the injury hitting in the cage from the right side.
“I asked him to swing the bag from the left side, it didn’t bother him,” Lopez said. “When he went out there right before the game to get ready, he told me he couldn’t even run.”
Lopez said Cruzado was coming along well and he hopes to see him back soon.
“He’s getting better. I think he’s getting close,” Lopez said. “We back-dated it two days, so he’s got two days already, so hopefully next five that gives him a little more time and hopefully he can be back on the roster.”
Contact Betsy Helfand at bhelfand@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BetsyHelfand on Twitter.