NEW YORK – The rebuilt Mets bullpen suffered a major blow on Saturday when the team announced that Seth Lugo would undergo surgery to remove a loose body from his right elbow. The Mets plan to shut Lugo off the pitch for six weeks, which will leave him out of the opening day list.
In a telephone interview, Lugo said he did not feel anything abnormal in his arm until last week, when his elbow began to swell and he did not want to calm down. After a few days, Lugo called someone from the Mets’ training staff who was planning an MRI. That test, which was taken on Friday, revealed that a leg track that broke off his right elbow.
Lugo will undergo surgery on Tuesday, but the right-hand man – who has been throwing a partially torn UCL in his elbow for at least the past four seasons – calls his fate much better than the worst case.
‘I have been optimistic ever since [Friday], ”Lugo said. ‘Last week I was sitting there thinking,’ If I tear up [a ligament], my career may be over, so it’s devastating. ‘But I feel really good now that it’s just like that [the bone spur]. … The worst case scenario was that I would never pluck again, so I’m pretty happy. ”
It’s a tough blow for the Mets nonetheless, as Lugo have been their best reliever over the past three seasons, posting a 2.68 ERA with 207 strikeouts over 181 1/3 overs from 2018-19. Last summer, the Mets attempted to field Lugo as a starting pitcher on the flight, with mixed results; he allowed two runs over his first 11 2/3 innings, before finishing the season with a 9.82 ERA in four times.
After the season, Lugo started throwing earlier than usual in October because of how strong he felt according to the shortened schedule for 60 games. It was only in February that he had any discomfort, arising entirely from the bone marrow – not his UCL.
‘I was actually quite happy about it [the diagnosis], ”Said Lugo, who chose to rehabilitate his UCL rather than undergo a Tommy John surgery in 2017. “It was good news for me, minus some time. … That’s kind of the first thing that’s ever popped up since – I don ‘t want to say the UCL. I do not want to discuss it. With the MRI [on Friday], it looked good. The doctor was really impressed with how it wound up. ”
It is more immediately worrying for the legs. A six-week shutdown takes Lugo to the last week of March, a few days before opening day. Although Lugo declined to comment on his timeline, he remained optimistic about his overall forecast. If he can start throwing according to schedule, Lugo will probably need another month or longer to work into a form of play, which will make May a realistic best case for his return.
“I’m just going to have the surgery and go from there,” Lugo said.
In the meantime, the Mets will have to look for someone else to fulfill Lugo’s unique role at the back of their bull. He became a true “firefighter” for the Mets last season, and he often hit the highest leverage positions from midfield to ninth. In this way, Lugo was a candidate to continue to save opportunities from Edwin Díaz, while also being active in the middle to late innings.
The Mets have added two pitchers, Trevor May and Aaron Loup, over major league deals this winter, as well as a swing, Sam McWilliams, who could potentially play a part in Lugo’s role. Díaz, May and Loup are locks for the Opening Day bullpen, as are Jeurys Familia and Dellin Betances, provided the Mets do not trade either of them in salary dump deals. Miguel Castro and Drew Smith also play prominent roles, but Lugo’s injury increases the chances that the Mets will still seek outside the organization for help. The team has been linked with free agents Trevor Rosenthal and Justin Wilson over the past few days.
During the early part of this off-season, Mets officials debated whether Lugo would fit better in their rotation or bullpen – a debate that essentially ended when they added several pieces to their starting mix. Now the Mets are simply hopeful that Lugo can make a significant contribution over the last two thirds of 2021.
“It’s a professional group out there,” Lugo said. ‘With the guys coming back from last year, I have no doubt they will be able to hold the matches. I’m still looking forward to meeting the new guys we signed up for, and hopefully I’ll be in a good position on my position when I get back. Now better than in August, right? ”