A team source told Newsday’s Marc Carig on Tuesday that Mets pitcher Seth Lugo has a slight UCL tear in his pitching elbow.
The injury does not require surgery. Instead, he has been administered a PRP injection and will just require rest, per Carig.
Lugo was projected to mount a legitimate charge toward a lower spot within the Mets rotation and started spring training well. He maintained that high level into his stint with Puerto Rico during the World Baseball Classic.
In his first two starts, he allowed just three earned runs on six hits and was credited with wins in both of them. Puerto Rico had enough confidence to give him the ball for the tournament’s final against the United States, but he allowed four runs on five hits in an 8-0 loss.
Upon his return to the Mets, though, there was still a chance to win the No. 5 starting spot after Steven Matz went on the disabled list. A difficult final spring training start prompted the Mets to go with Zack Wheeler instead.
Consolation was available in the form of a spot in the bullpen, which was the final roster opening available. Coming down between him and Rafael Montero, Lugo made the Mets’ decision an easy one when he began experiencing arm fatigue.
An MRI on Monday revealed the issue in his elbow and he will be unavailable for at least the next two weeks.
