Mets' Terry Collins: Trying not to look like 'an idiot' with injury timelines

New York Mets manager Terry Collins attempted Thursday to clarify comments he had made the day before about his role in relaying injury news to reporters.

Collins had said Wednesday he was "not at liberty" to discuss right fielder Jay Bruce's injury situation, an apparently new restriction for the normally candid manager.

Collins said Thursday the team is going to try to avoid predicting publicly when players will return from injuries because "no one really knows when anybody's going to be ready" while they're recovering and rehabbing.

"I get in trouble because I try to be as honest as I can with you guys and give you an honest look at things," Collins said. "And then if it doesn't happen, we look like an idiot when we're not, because there's no guarantees."

The Mets have been beset by injuries this season. New York has some of its biggest names on the disabled list, including ace Noah Syndergaard, outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, closer Jeurys Familia and veteran David Wright.

The Mets did get some good news when Bruce started in right field in Thursday night's loss to the San Diego Padres after leaving Tuesday's game with tightness in his back and sitting out Wednesday, and shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera came off the disabled list and entered as a pinch hitter.

General manager Sandy Alderson said last week that the team is making some changes to the way it handles injuries. He is now meeting daily with the training staff, something he hadn't always done in the past. The front office also is communicating often with its "resources" in Port St. Lucie, Florida, at the team's spring training complex.

Alderson also said bigger changes could still be made, but those "might require a little more in the way of investigation and research that sometimes requires a little time."

Alderson's comments were part of why Collins' remark Wednesday raised eyebrows.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.