Impending free agent Jose Reyes has been on the disabled list since August 8th. It’s his second trip to the disabled list this season with a hamstring injury. He’s still leading the National League in hitting with a .336 average and second in the league in stolen bases to Michael Bourn with 34.
It’s been an incredible season for Reyes except for the injuries. I’m sure every player dreams of having the season of a lifetime in their contract year. And Reyes has been doing that. The only potential problem for his free agency are the injuries. He’s had a fairly lengthy list of injuries during the beginning of his career with the Mets and that may keep him from the big money as Fred Wilpon told the New Yorker earlier this season.
I didn’t think that this latest hamstring injury would be a problem for Reyes unless he wasn’t ready to come off the disabled list after 15 days when he’s eligible. That day is Tuesday and it’s starting to look like Reyes might not be back with the team in Philadelphia.
Reyes told reporters yesterday when asked about playing on Tuesday:
I don’t know about that. I need to run the bases first before I decide when I’m going to play. I’ve been running the past three days, and I feel very good. I’m not running 100 percent yet, but it’s getting there.
That’s a problem. Reyes needs to show other teams that may offer him a contract in the offseason that his injury is very minor. He needs to do that by being in the starting lineup on Tuesday. If not, I think every day that he doesn’t play is going to cost him in free agency. Staying on the DL this late in the season, with his injury history, has to lead other teams to question his health in a long-term contract.
The Mets Report 