J.D. Davis is receiving a few days to work behind the scenes on his slumping swing.
The Mets’ third baseman was benched for a third straight start Sunday, as manager Luis Rojas went with the hot bat and kept Brandon Drury in the lineup at third base. Jonathan Villar started at third the previous two games.
Davis owned a .214/.298/.405 slash line in 42 at-bats in July after returning from 2 ¹/₂ months on the injured list.
“We are always going to like J.D.’s approach,” Rojas said before the Mets lost 7-1 to the Reds at Citi Field. “But heavy fastball guys have been giving him a little trouble, and it’s actually caused him to try to speed up things and not recognize breaking balls as well, so it’s affecting him on both sides.
“I think he’s working on some things to get himself right, so we’re using this as a time for him to work and get back where he was when he came back from the IL.”
Drury went 0-for-2 with a walk. A night earlier, he started in right field to put another slumping player, Michael Conforto, on the bench.
Luis Guillorme was placed on the injured list with a left hamstring strain. The veteran infielder sustained the injury while scoring the tying run in the ninth inning from second base the previous night, according to Rojas. The Mets recalled pitcher Geoff Hartlieb from Triple-A Syracuse to take the roster spot.
Brandon Nimmo was absent from the starting lineup for a second straight day with a tweak in his left hamstring, but popped out as a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning (he didn’t remain in the game to play defense).
Before the game, Nimmo said it’s possible he will be cleared to play center field Monday.
“I’m not concerned at all about the hamstring,” Nimmo said. “I think we could have played [Saturday], but we are being pretty cautious. It’s more about trying to conserve a day or two here rather than four weeks somewhere else.”
Tylor Megill interrupted his pregame throwing to have his fingertip examined by the trainer, but said there isn’t an issue that will prevent him from pitching Monday in Miami.
“I’m good,” he said. “I’ll be throwing [Monday].”
The Mets began August at 55-48 for a .534 winning percentage. The last time the Mets had a better winning percentage entering August was 2008, when they were 58-50 (.537).