For the second time this season, New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes is on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring. The latest incident occurred on Aug. 2 against the Atlanta Braves, and Reyes has been on the disabled list since. He's due to come off the DL on Tuesday, but despite some early reports suggesting it could happen, Terry Collins called it a "stretch."
Reyes has begun running, but it has not been at full speed and he's only run straightaway. The 28-year-old has also taken groundballs, thrown to first base and has hit ... but the most important step: testing the hamstring while running the bases, has yet to occur.
"I don’t know about that," Reyes said in reference to returning Tuesday according to ESPN NY's Adam Rubin. "I need to run the bases first before I decide when I’m going to play. I’ve been running the last few days, so I feel very good. I’m not running 100 percent, but it’s getting there."
Reyes only returned from a 16-day DL stint July 19, but it appears he was a bit reluctant to run right away because he had only attempted three steals in 16 starts -- before trying to nab two Aug. 1. That day, he said, he felt some tightness in his hamstring, and the day after planted him on sidelines.
Rubin reports that Reyes says this hamstring strain is "about the same," but the Mets will certainly allow him all the time he needs to be ready, especially because they're not going anywhere with or without him in the lineup.
Of course, this doesn't bode into Reyes' favor about his contract situation. Dynamic when he's on the field, he's been extremely injury-prone throughout his career, and two more leg injuries for a player that relies on his speed doesn't really play to his advantage.
Regardless, Reyes just wants to get to playing, which we all know he loves to do.
"I don’t worry about my contract right now," Reyes said. "I just want to be on the field healthy."