#Todd Frazier considers Mets return a ‘good surprise’

“#Todd Frazier considers Mets return a ‘good surprise’”

September 3, 2020 | 12:27am

BALTIMORE — Todd Frazier considered it a “good surprise” he was traded to the Mets.

The veteran third baseman was preparing to depart on a road trip with the Rangers on Monday — about five minutes before the trade deadline — when he received a phone call from the team’s general manager, Jon Daniels, informing of the transaction, in which the Mets will send a player to be named later to Texas.

“I didn’t expect it, but at the same time it’s very good,” Frazier said before the Mets beat the Orioles, 9-4, on Wednesday at Camden Yards.

Frazier was in the starting lineup as the third baseman and cleanup hitter, finishing 0-for-5 as the only Mets starting player without a hit. Frazier, who spent 2018-19 with the Mets, expects to see action at third base, DH and possibly first base.

The Toms River, N.J., native said he’s hasn’t seen his family in more than two months, but doesn’t anticipate a quick reunion.

“I don’t know when I will see them again, because I still am taking it seriously,” Frazier said, referring to the COVID-19 protocols. “Maybe on an off day if we’re allowed to do that, I will get them all tested just to make sure and go from there.”

Frazier, who departed through free agency, was asked if there had been discussions with the Mets about returning last winter.

“The answer to that is no,” he said.

Robert Gsellman is scheduled to face the Yankees on Thursday at Citi Field, with Rick Porcello on the mound the following night against the Phillies. But manager Luis Rojas would not announce his rotation plans beyond Friday.

Porcello will be starting on his normal rest Friday. Team brass had to decide between Porcello and Seth Lugo, both of whom started in Sunday’s doubleheader, to pitch on the fifth day.

“That is Porcello’s day,” Rojas said. “And we have done our best to try to keep Porcello on his fifth day.”

Miguel Castro pitched a scoreless eighth inning in his Mets debut, allowing one hit. The Mets acquired Castro on Monday in a deal that sent minor league lefty Kevin Smith to the Orioles.

“Nasty — his stuff was special,” Rojas said, referring to Castro’s outing. “The first pitch I looked at on the gun to see the reading, it was 98 [mph] and so easy out of his hand and then the slider, he looks nasty.”