Mets place Jared Young on IL, recall MJ Melendez from Syracuse

The Mets lost a useful bat and gained a fresh roster option in the same move, as Jared Young went on the 10-day injured list with a torn left meniscus and MJ Melendez was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to fill the opening. Young will need surgery and is expected to miss about six to eight weeks, a significant blow for a club already juggling injuries and lineup churn, including Juan Soto’s stay on the injured list with a right calf strain.

Young’s absence matters because he had been doing real work in a limited role. The surprise addition to the Opening Day roster had settled in as a first baseman and left fielder against right-handed pitching, and he was 7-for-20 with two doubles, two RBI and a .391 on-base percentage in 23 plate appearances before the knee issue forced him out. He had also flashed why the Mets kept finding ways to play him, going three-for-three with two strong defensive plays in San Francisco on April 5.

Melendez is the immediate answer, and his recall from Syracuse on April 15 underscores how quickly the Mets are leaning on depth to survive the early season. The 27-year-old was a former No. 52 overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, and the Mets signed him to a one-year big-league contract in February. He began the season in Triple-A after missing the Opening Day roster, then put together a .216/.286/.431 line with two home runs, three RBI and one steal across 51 plate appearances for Syracuse.

That production does not scream finished product, but it does suggest the Mets are buying a little more lineup flexibility and a bat with some punch. Melendez’s Triple-A numbers, including 11 hits and a .717 OPS, point to a player who can still change a game with one swing while covering roster needs in a bench that has been stretched by injuries and recent moves.

For the Mets, the shift is less about replacing Young’s exact role than preserving the structure around him. Young had earned his spot by taking competitive at-bats and handling multiple corners of the diamond, and Melendez now gets the same chance to translate Syracuse production into major league value while the club waits out a lengthy recovery.