Mets' Kevin Plawecki: Hitting fifth Monday

Plawecki will bat fifth and start at catcher Monday against the Phillies.

With Wilmer Flores unavailable due to a broken nose, the Mets don't have many viable middle-of-the-order options remaining on the roster, so Plawecki will slot into a more prominent spot in the lineup than he's received in his more recent appearances. Plawecki has earned the upgrade through his impressive play of late, which could soon allow him to usurp the struggling Travis d'Arnaud for the top spot on the depth chart at catcher. Since being recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on Aug. 19, Plawecki has posted an .805 OPS while striking out just three times in 31 at-bats.