The Mets have placed second baseman Neil Walker on paternity leave, as he has left the team to be with his wife back in Pittsburgh for the birth of their first child. He is expected to be out for the entirety of the series in St. Louis. Walker will rejoin the team in New York on Friday when they take on the Philadelphia Phillies. Walker has been red hot over the past month as he has hit .379 with five home runs and nine RBIs in August. Congratulations are in order for the Walker family on the birth of their first child!

The Mets will promote recently demoted infielder T.J. Rivera from Triple-A Las Vegas to take Walker’s spot on the roster for the next three games. The leading hitter in the Pacific Coast League, Rivera will return to a .355 batting line with the Mets in 31 plate appearances.