PHOENIX — New York Mets designated hitter Jesse Winker is expected to miss six to eight weeks with a Grade 2 oblique strain, manager Carlos Mendoza confirmed on Monday.
Mendoza also said reliever A.J. Minter will have season-ending surgery next Monday because of a torn lat muscle. Minter had a 1.64 ERA in 13 appearances this season.
Infielder Brett Baty will take Winker’s spot on the big league roster after being called up from Triple-A Syracuse.
Winker left the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals because of right side discomfort. He got hurt making a throw to the plate in the third inning during his first start of the season in left field after getting nearly all his playing time this year in a DH platoon with Starling Marte.