The Mets rotation took another hit significant on Monday, when an MRI scan revealed that the left-hander starter Joey Lucchesi has a significant UCL tear in your left elbow. The Tommy John surgery is an option realistic for Lucchesi, who will receive a second opinion before making that decision.
The news came during Lucchesi’s best stretch of the season, which included a 1.19 ERA in his last five starts. After his most recent outing, in which he delivered five 1/3 innings blank last Friday, Lucchesi complained of pain in his left elbow.
The Mets later placed him on the 10-day disabled list and scheduled him for an MRI. This Monday the medical body and the rest of the New York board found out about the torn ligament suffered by the 28-year-old Californian. It should be noted that this kind of injury almost always requires Tommy John surgery, however Lucchesi and the Mets will seek a second opinion to ensure they avoid surgery.
“Even though that’s the first thing that comes to mind about the surgery, he wanted, and we wanted, to hear a second opinion about it,” said manager Luis Rojas.
Overall, Lucchesi was 1-4 with a 4.46 ERA in his first season with the Mets, who acquired him from the Padres on a three-team contract last winter.
If Lucchesi opts for Tommy John surgery, he will miss the rest of this season and most or all of the next as well. The operation generally requires a rehabilitation period of 12 to 18 months.
“It is a great loss for us,” said Rojas. “A talented young man who I think is improving every time he comes out. Let’s see what comes out of this. The second opinion will allow us to know with certainty what the decision will be. “
Even with a healthy Lucchesi, the Mets were already considering improving their rotation before the July 30 trade deadline, considering they’ve also played the entire season without Noah Syndergaard (recovery from Tommy John surgery) and Carlos Carrasco ( right hamstring tear). With those two and Jordan Yamamoto (right shoulder pain) out of the game, it now seems almost certain to trade for another starter. The best headlines available could include Kyle Gibson of the Rangers, Jon Gray and Germán Márquez of the Rockies and Luis Castillo of the Reds.
In the short term, the Mets, who are in the middle of three double games in seven days, don’t have many experienced insider options. Veteran Jerad Eickhoff made his season debut in the Mets’ 1-0 loss in Game 2 of Monday’s doubleheader against the Braves, while two other starters, Nick Tropeano and No. 10 prospect Thomas Szapucki , are on the organization’s 40-man list. . The Mets will need to use some combination of those pitchers, while also relying heavily on their bullpen, to stay afloat as they approach the trade deadline.
“It’s a challenge once again,” Rojas said. “This is a baseball season. It is full of challenges. You have it with the wounds. You have it with the ups and downs of some guys throughout the season, and you have it in front of the other teams, really good teams that you are playing with. So there are challenges everywhere. We will meet with this one right now. “
Anthony DiComo / MLB.com
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