Mets to put Ronny Mauricio on IL, may play Bo Bichette at SS

New York Mets infielder Ronny Mauricio fractured his left thumb Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels, forcing the injury-plagued club to consider using Bo Bichette at shortstop.

Mauricio, who has been filling in at shortstop for injured All-Star Francisco Lindor, suffered the injury on a headfirst slide into first base in the seventh inning of Saturday's 4-3 loss.

"It's tough, obviously," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters, according to MLB.com. "You lose your everyday shortstop and the guy that comes up that is getting the everyday opportunity here now is hurt. Somebody else is going to have an opportunity."

That opportunity could initially go to Bichette, who replaced Mauricio for the final four innings of Saturday's game.

Primarily a shortstop during his seven years with the Toronto Blue Jays, Bichette shifted to third base this season after signing with the Mets, who already had a two-time Gold Glove winner at shortstop in Lindor.

But with Lindor and Mauricio both sidelined, Mendoza acknowledged that Bichette is a candidate to move back to shortstop.

"I am pretty sure Bo is going to be in the conversation," said Mendoza, who added that the Mets still have not decided which player to promote from the minors to replace Mauricio on the roster.

The last-place Mets will officially place Mauricio on the injured list before Sunday's series finale against the Angels. Bichette has played 32 games -- 30 at third base -- in his first season with the Mets, committing only two errors while posting a .970 fielding percentage at the hot corner.

"Whatever the team needs," Bichette told reporters, when asked about possibly moving back to shortstop.

Mauricio, 25, is batting .209 (6 for 29) with one home run in nine games this season. The former top prospect will join a growing list of Mets players on the IL, including Lindor, Luis Robert Jr., Jorge Polanco, and Kodai Senga.

Lindor has been sidelined since April 22 and will miss at least another two weeks because of a left calf strain.

The Mets (11-22) entered Sunday with the worst record in Major League Baseball, 12.5 games behind the first-place Atlanta Braves(24-10) in the NL East.