Mets' lefty Young might need Tommy John surgery - Newsday
In less than a week, the Mets have lost both of their lefthanded relievers — perhaps for the season.
Danny Young joined A.J. Minter on the injured list Wednesday because of a sprained left elbow. Tommy John surgery is “on the table,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. That would sideline him for at least a year.
Minter, similarly, is mulling season-ending surgery on his torn left lat. He exited his appearance Saturday with that out-of-nowhere injury.
That leaves the Mets with zero lefthanders in the bullpen.
“That’s about as bad timing as you can get,” Young said late Wednesday night. “It’s unfortunate. Obviously, Mint was a big piece for us. And then Mint goes down. I obviously want to pick up that slack. This is the situation we’re in now.”
In-house options are few. Triple-A Syracuse’s roster includes Genesis Cabrera and Anthony Gose. The Mets recently re-signed Brooks Raley, but he won’t be ready — following his own Tommy John surgery — until July.
Young’s problem emerged over the course of weeks. As his forearm bothered him for much of April, the Mets tried to manage it, allow him to work through it, Mendoza said. More recently, he had a difficult time recovering after his outings. On Wednesday, they decided to get an MRI, which revealed a sprain.
A sprain is a stretching or tearing of a ligament. Severe sprains in the elbow typically require major surgery.
“You never really want to assume the worst,” said Young, who is seeking other opinions. “It’s in the back of your mind, but it’s real early. We’re going to try everything we can and we’ll see what happens.”
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.