Mj Melendez was out of the Mets' lineup Wednesday for the club's game against the Reds.
The left-handed-hitting Melendez took a seat for the second time in the series, and Eric Wagaman stepped in as the designated hitter, batting seventh in the lineup.
The move came with the Reds sending left-hander Andrew Abbott to the bump; the Mets’ decision to go with Wagaman in the DH slot was tied to that opposing starter.
Wagaman’s insertion into the batting order filled the immediate hole at designated hitter and shifted the middle of the lineup, where he slotted behind the top-six hitters and ahead of the bottom of the order by batting seventh.
Because Melendez is a left-handed hitter, his absence from Wednesday’s lineup stands out: the change was framed around Abbott’s left-handed start even though conventional matchup logic often keeps a left-handed bat in against a left-handed pitcher. That contrast — a left-handed hitter sitting against a left-handed starter — is the notable wrinkle in the game-day decision.
The Wednesday lineup change is the latest roster tweak in the series; Melendez’s being out of the lineup for the second time in the series underscores that the Mets are tailoring at least some day-to-day choices to opposing pitchers.
This report does not state whether Melendez will return to the lineup for the next game. The unannounced status of his immediate lineup availability is the practical next question for fans following the series and for the Mets as they set lineups for the remaining games.
