PHILADELPHIA — Marcus Semien returned from his rehab assignment and was reinstated from the 10-day injured list in time for Thursday’s 4-1 win over the Phillies to open the second half of the season, but he wasn’t in the lineup.
It’s an indication of just how poor the veteran second baseman has been in his first season with the Mets, as interim manager Andy Green went with the lefty-swinging Brett Baty against Philadelphia right-hander Aaron Nola.
And Baty delivered with a pair of hits, including a homer.
“When my name is called, I’ll be ready,’’ Semien said before the game. “I’m ready to play every single day. That’s what I told Andy.”
Asked if Semien and Baty, who was hitting better before the All-Star break- were in something of a lefty-righty platoon, Green said the team wanted to get Semien a full workout day before he started a game, since he was unable to play in any minor league rehab games during the break.
Green added that Semien was expected to be in the lineup Saturday when the Phillies are scheduled to start lefty Jesús Luzardo.
“He’ll figure prominently in our mix going forward,’’ Green said of Semien.
Semien, a significant part of the offseason overhaul undertaken by president of baseball operations David Stearns, had been sidelined since June 24 with a left hip flexor strain.
Even before the injury, though, the 35-year-old was having the worst season of his 14-year career.
Not only has his offense dropped off for a third straight year, Semien has been a below-average defender at second base.
Baty can play second and third and Green said he might use him at first, where Jared Young — another lefty hitter — has gotten the bulk of the playing time.
“This is who he is as a hitter and what he can do,” Green said of Baty’s recent hot streak. “He presents a lot of defensive versatility … [and] he’s showing the pop in his bat we believe he has.”
Baty acknowledged he’s had a disappointing year up to this point, saying, “I don’t think it’s been good at all. I hold myself to a way higher standard than the way I’ve been playing. I think the last two or so weeks have been the kind of player I am: hitting the ball hard and playing good defense. That’s all I can really control.”
To open a roster spot for Semien, Zack Short was designated for assignment after starting the last three games before the break at second base.
Short had been starting, in part, because Bo Bichette was dealing with right ankle soreness.
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Bichette was back in the lineup at third base Thursday — with Baty at second — and Green noted, “We definitely could have used his bat in the last series,” when the Mets were swept at home by Boston.
