The depth the Mets desired on the infield for 2019 is beginning to look as promised.
Jed Lowrie, who endured a sprained left knee capsule early in Spring Training and has yet to make his Mets debut, played his first rehab game Sunday. He batted second and manned shortstop for Class A Advanced St. Lucie, going 0-for-4 and making it through all nine innings, eventually sliding over to second base.
How long Lowrie will need to spend in rehab games will be determined. If his plan follows a similar timeline to what fellow veteran infielder Todd Frazier went through to start the season, Lowrie will still have a bit to go before heading north and joining the team.
The Mets -- in an effort led by his former agent and current general manager Brodie Van Wagenen -- signed Lowrie to a two-year, $20 million deal this past offseason, with the goal of creating roster depth.
When Lowrie does return, he'll enter a crowded infield situation. Pete Alonso, Robinson Cano and Amed Rosario have defined roles as starters, while Frazier has mostly taken over full-time third base duties. Jeff McNeil, a natural infielder, has been playing left field, and J.D. Davis has seen playing time dwindle over the last week.