Mets designate struggling catcher d'Arnaud

The New York Mets designated Travis d'Arnaud for assignment Sunday, one day after the slumping catcher was booed repeatedly by fans at Citi Field.

D'Arnaud missed most of last season because of an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. He had gotten off to a slow start this season, with only two hits in his first 23 at-bats.

The Mets announced the roster move before Sunday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers. Catcher Tomas Nido was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse in a corresponding move.

Mets fans booed d'Arnaud before his first-at bat in the second inning and again after he struck out in the fourth inning of Saturday's 8-6 loss to the Brewers.

A rough night got worse three innings later, when d'Arnaud was thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double, drawing more boos.

"That was an accumulation of everything with me,'' d'Arnaud told reporters, according to the New York Post. "I was probably being too aggressive being down by four runs."

D'Arnaud admitted, however, that his game is "not where I want it to be" and that he understands the fans' reaction.

"They want me to play better,'' d'Arnaud said. "I understand. I have to keep working."

D'Arnaud, 30, signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal this past offseason to stay with the Mets and serve as a backup catcher to Wilson Ramos. He has played his entire seven-year career with the Mets, batting .242 with 47 home runs in 407 games.