PHILADELPHIA — A year and two days after fracturing his right fibula and tearing his right cruciate ligament, veteran infielder Danny Mendick made his long-awaited return to the majors, batting ninth place Saturday afternoon and playing third base for the Mets.
The timing, Mendick noted, felt poetic.
“The day after surgery you sit there and you’re like, ‘When is this ever going to happen?'” he said. “Then finally getting the call … all the work you put in and the times it was difficult is definitely worth it.”
Mendick, who the Mets recalled Friday from Triple-A Syracuse after they traded infielder Eduardo Escobar to the Angels, has not been since his collision with White Sox teammate Adam Haseley in a June 22 pursuit of a foul more appeared in a major league game Mendick believed he had hyperextended his right knee and might be out for a week. In the days that followed, he learned that he had broken a bone and torn ligaments, ending his season.
“I learned a lot about myself,” Mendick said. “I had to go through some character building. You can find out what it’s like. For me it was the first time I was ever hurt. It made me a lot tougher mentally. It makes it even more exciting to be back – coming back here, trying to contribute to this team and getting everything back on track, that’s exciting.”
During rehab, Mendick was not written out by the White Sox and signed a $1 million major league contract with the Mets, but failed to get the club released from spring training. The Mets dropped him to their callups earlier this year, but when they traded Escobar their choice of a replacement was clear. Instead of signing potential Mark Vientos, who they plan to play every day in the Minors, the Mets chose Mendick.
The news came hours after Mendick hit his eighth home run for Syracuse, extending his hitting streak to six games and improving his overall slash line to .264/.356/.401. For the first time in his career, the New York native was able to play regularly in front of friends and family.
“He’s a baseball player,” manager Buck Showalter said. “That’s a big compliment. I think everyone knew I was going to say that. He gives us a certain versatility, similar to Eduardo.”
This is the kind of player Mendick was with the White Sox from 2019-2022, offering bursts of power alongside defensive versatility. In the coming weeks, the Mets will decide whether Mendick is a viable option for their bench.
In the meantime, he’s enjoying his chance to return to the majors.
“I just go out and play baseball,” Mendick said. “It’s been my MO my whole life, so to speak. Wherever they take me, go catch it, catch it and throw it. i am here to help I’m here to help win baseball games. Wherever they take me, I love doing it.”