NEW YORK — New York Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson said Tuesday that his players are running out of time to turn around their season, and he takes the responsibility as the person in charge of assembling the roster. New York started 11-1 but began Tuesday 28-34 and fourth in the National League East, 7½ games behind first-place Washington.
The injury-ravaged Mets are 28th in runs and 25th among the 30 teams in batting average at .230. The offense has been unable to support a pitching staff that is 15th in ERA at 4.03.
“When you’re scoring runs at the anemic rate that we have, something hasn’t worked,” Alderson said. “So from that standpoint, I take full responsibility for where we are. I’m not happy about it. But at the same time the job now is to figure out how to fix it and improve it.”
As the All-Star Game next month and the July 31 trade deadline approach, Alderson would consider retooling if the record doesn’t improve. “Obviously, we’re cognizant of the baseball calendar and where we need to be in a few weeks and what the options are for change as we get into July,” Alderson said.
TWINS
Veteran Belisle returns
DETROIT — The Minnesota Twins have signed right-handed reliever Matt Belisle, bringing back the popular veteran after a stint with Cleveland.
The Twins made the move Tuesday before their game at Detroit and designated utility infielder Gregorio Petit for release or assignment to make room on the roster.
Belisle had a 5.06 ERA for the Indians in eight appearances earlier this season before being assigned to Class AAA Columbus. The 38-year-old posted a 4.03 ERA for the Twins in 2017 in 62 appearances. He moved from setup man to a ninth-inning role after closer Brandon Kintzler was traded.
Twins relievers rank 21st in the major leagues with a 4.15 ERA.
Petit had 26 at-bats for the Twins. He hit .308 and played all four infield positions.
ORIOLES
Cashner on 10-day DL
BALTIMORE — Baltimore Orioles right-hander Andrew Cashner has been placed on the 10-day disabled list with lower back spasms and is expected to miss at least one start.
Orioles Manager Buck Showalter said Tuesday that Cashner is on the mend but is not feeling well enough to make his scheduled start today against Boston.
The move is retroactive to Saturday, the day after his last start, when he allowed three runs in six innings against the Blue Jays.
Showalter said of the injury: “I don’t know what caused it. It might have been the four days on the turf there in Toronto.”
Cashner is 2-8 with 4.98 ERA over 13 starts. He’s lost his last three starts, but the Orioles scored only one run in each of those games. Cashner, 31, signed a two-year contract in February as a free agent after going 11-11 with Texas last year.
NATIONALS
2B Murphy activated
NEW YORK — Second baseman Daniel Murphy was activated by the Washington Nationals before Tuesday’s series opener at the New York Yankees.
The 33-year-old, an All-Star in three of the previous four seasons, missed the first 64 games while recovering from right knee surgery Oct. 20. He hit .243 (9 for 37) with 2 doubles, 2 home runs, 7 RBI and 6 walks in 10 games during an injury rehabilitation assignment with Class AA Harrisburg.
Washington optioned infielder Adrian Sanchez to Class AAA Syracuse to make room for Murphy who hit .322 with 43 doubles, 23 home runs and 93 RBI in 144 games last year.
YANKEES
Loaisiga to make debut
NEW YORK — Pitcher Jonathan Loaisiga will be brought up from Class AA by the New York Yankees to make his major league debut against Tampa Bay on Friday night.
Loaisiga is a 23-year-old right-hander who returned in 2017 following Tommy John surgery. He is 3-1 with a 4.32 ERA in 6 starts at Class AA Trenton after starting 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA at Class A Tampa.
He fills the rotation slot that opened when Masahiro Tanaka injured both hamstrings while sprinting home to score on a sacrifice fly Friday. Domingo German, who entered the rotation after No. 5 starter Jordan Montgomery tore an elbow ligament, will start Friday.