New York Mets' Jeff McNeil makes honest admission about oblique injury

Mets infielder Jeff McNeil revealed details about his unfortunate oblique injury.

Feb 15, 2025; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets second base Jeff McNeil (1) works on a fielding exercise during a spring training workout at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The New York Mets have suffered yet another injury during spring training, as Mets manager Carlos Mendoza announced on Thursday that second baseman Jeff McNeil suffered a low-grade right oblique strain.

As of right now, the game plan is to shut McNeil down for 7-10 days without any baseball activity. While the Mets are estimating that McNeil will be out for 3-4 weeks, oblique injuries are extremely tricky to return from because the risk of re-injury is very high. Therefore, it seems that everyone understands that this 3-4 week timeline is tentative and will have to be extended in the case of a setback.

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McNeil also spoke with the media on March 13, and made several admissions about how he got to this point.

"Not sure," McNeil said when asked about when he sustained the injury, per an X post from SNY. "Played the game the other day completely fine. Came out of the game fine. It was later that night, I just kind of felt a little sore, nothing crazy, all the normal. Came in the next day, still just very minor soreness, and just decided to get it checked out, and got a picture on it, and it showed a minor oblique."

Jeff McNeil says he's not sure when he strained his oblique:

"Came out of the game fine, it was later that night I kind of felt a little sore, nothing crazy. Just decided to get it checked out and got a picture on it and showed a minor oblique" pic.twitter.com/2SgptlYuwk

— SNY (@SNYtv) March 13, 2025

When discussing the timeline of his potential return, McNeil said, "The next step right now is to get symptom free. We're not sure how long that could take, I barely have any symptoms right now. It's very minor. So hopefully get symptom free, I am built up right now, baseball activity wise. And hopefully don't take too much time off and can build back up rather quickly," per SNY.

"The next step right now is to get symptom free, we're not sure how long that could take. I barely have any symptoms right now"

Jeff McNeil talks about the timeline of return from his right oblique strain: pic.twitter.com/01dFaGmvZJ

— SNY (@SNYtv) March 13, 2025

If McNeil isn't available for Opening Day (which it doesn't appear that he will be), either Brett Baty or Luisangel Acuña will likely earn the start at second base in his stead.