Mark Canha and Brandon Nimmo could be back from the COVID list for the Mets’ doubleheader Tuesday…although maybe not…or maybe just one?
Confusing wording, maybe, in revealing why the Mets had yet to post a lineup for Game 1 as of 12:45 p.m. – about 2 ½ hours before game time – skipper Buck Showalter laid out all the scenarios for the possibilities of his outfield alignment for their twin bill against the Giants.
“You know what I know: a chance I have both, a chance I have neither, and a chance I have one of them,” Showalter said. “There’s no rope-a-dope going on; when I know, you’ll know.”
Showalter had four lineups – one with each one, one with both, one with neither – and was waiting to see if either or both could get a last-minute clearance.
Both players went on the COVID IL Friday after a Mets coach (reportedly bench coach Glenn Sherlock) tested positive for coronavirus, and per the New York Post, both took tests after being deemed close contacts and tested positive, although both were asymptomatic.
Canha’s wife took to Twitter to reveal that Mark is vaccinated, while Nimmo’s status on that front is unknown. Vaccinated players on the COVID IL can receive clearance from MLB’s Health and Safety Committee as soon as they are no longer deemed infectious, but unvaxxed players must return two consecutive negative PCR tests to be reinstated.
From what Showalter said about the above, though, it appears as if at least one of them might be in whichever bucket they need to be in to return.
“I think we just got the status on one of them, but they have to get tests back and have certain numbers for consecutive tests,” Showalter said. “We have to be careful about bringing something in the locker room.”
The Mets do get a 29th man for today’s twin bill, with that player also yet to be officially announced based on waiting for Canha and Nimmo’s statuses.
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